


That he did it all for love

by PamaChan



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon)
Genre: Alucard | Adrian Vlad Tepes | Arikado Genya Whump, Angst, Blood Drinking, But Mostly Hurt, Castlevania Season 3 Fix-It, Castlevania Season 3 Spoilers, Emotionally constipated trevor, Eventual Trephacard, F/M, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Post-Castlevania (Cartoon) Season 3, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sad Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya, Sad boy alucard, Sypha trying not to murder the two of them, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Whump, i will be cold in my grave before you take simp trevor from me i stg, simp trevor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:47:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24737905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PamaChan/pseuds/PamaChan
Summary: Set directly after season 3.Alucard is left alone in Dracula's castle to process the aftermath of Sumi and Taka's betrayal. Trevor and Sypha decide to detour back to the castle to regroup after Lindenfeld.I just really wanted more sad pretty boy.
Relationships: Alucard & Dracula (Castlevania), Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Sypha Belnades, Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Trevor Belmont, Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Trevor Belmont/Sypha Belnades, Trevor Belmont/Sypha Belnades
Comments: 142
Kudos: 316





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't written fan fiction in a minute. Much less interacted with fandom directly in a while. Criticisms, in good faith, are welcome. Enjoy the Whump.

The light coming through the window caused his tired bloodshot eyes to ache anew. Closing them, he silently prayed for sleep to take him back under. Perhaps the last comfort he could experience right now. 

Golden sunlight casting shadows from the still intact pillar of his bed. A long thin shadow reaching towards the rug he pressed his face against. The singed blue textile still carried the scent of death. It reminded him of dinners and bedtime stories and sneaking into his father’s study. He had no more tears to cry so his chest shook as his eyes pressed closed burning with heat and sting.

A weak shudder as he pulled the long-dried sheet to cover his skin. The thin fabric gave little comfort as he tried to breathe steadily. The sunlight warmed his skin and made it difficult to ease the ache behind his eyes. His lashes were wet against his cheeks. Golden eyes stained bloodshot like a boiling sunset.

The sound of footsteps approaching had his mane of tangled blond hair flying. Panicked eyes and fangs bared at the open doorway but he made no sound.

They had died. He had slit their throats. He was sure. He could smell the old blood and decaying bodies.

Heavy long footsteps, clicking against the tile floor. A figure in black, with a long draping cloak and hair like coal. His father standing and staring into the room. 

Alucard felt the lunge in his chest and his arms began to tremble. He couldn’t not seem to decide whether he felt mourning or guilt at the soft tender gaze his father stared back with. Years of memories of a kind man who wanted to better others but had been proven wrong too many times. His mother had been convincing him to let them show their beauty, their art and stories. The way they held each other close and felt deeply for each other. 

He could remember her lectures on being kind and polite. The way his father would smile at them as if he was in paradise and nothing could ruin it.

“Leave me alone. Please I cannot bear your ghost today.” He pleaded with the image of the man most important to him. Warm crimson eyes stared back at him as he trembled with the barely held back sobs. He was too exhausted to cry again. He couldn’t possibly have any tears left to shed.

“Please, Father. Just let me rest.” He brought his hands to run over his face and cover his eyes before burying themselves in his matted hair. His wrist and arms stung and parts of his chest felt raw and vulnerable as the skin healed slowly. His stomach twisted with a mixture of the ache of hunger and nausea. 

The silence of the castle made his own breathing sound thunderous. He did his best to calm his shuddering chest, to ease his gasping and shaking. 

Golden eyes peek back to the doorway and find it empty. For whatever reason it sent another wave of grief through him and he collapsed back into the warm sunlit carpet and began to cry anew.

When Alucard awoke he was sore and stiff from the night on the hard floor. His head ached and his eyes burned. Pulling himself to sit up, his body tensed at an unfamiliar pain shooting up his spine. Alucard stilled for a few moments before bringing himself to stand, sheet gathered into one hand to cover himself. He felt unclean whether, unsure if it was the body fluids along his thighs or the dried blood in his hair. 

He made his way to the washroom slowly while doing his best not to aggravate the soreness he felt. The halls of the castle were cool and silent. Almost numbed by only being able to hear his own footsteps. He’d gotten used to hearing Taka and Sumi's footsteps or sensing their presence nearby over the past weeks. Now the castle was empty as the day…they had left. 

He made it to the wash room and left the sheet outside. The water was cool and Alucard did not want to have to wait to heat it. He washed himself, the water chilling his body and he held off a shiver as he scrubbed at his skin. The raw wounds streaked along his arms, chest and legs stung when he washed them. The pain was almost welcome to distract from the ache in his chest. His pale skin flushed red from his scrubbing by the time he was finished.

Strands of wet hair stuck to his cheeks and his neck as he drained the dirty water. The ringing of silence deafening him again once the bath was empty.

He sat on the edge of the tub and remembered his clean clothes would be in the master bedroom he’d moved into. Where they still laid still.

Giving it little thought he stood, nude and gathered the blood stained sheet by a corner and dragged it behind him. 

The hall back to the master bedroom brought memories of bad dreams and running down this hall to seek his parents for comfort. To hide between them in their bed so as to be protected from the terrors of sleeping alone. His mother’s gentle cooing in his ear while his father’s strong hand stroked his hair. He could hear them calming him as he reached to open the door. Telling him he was safe and they would protect him. Telling him they loved him as he stared at the two corpses upon his parents bed.

Death was heavy in the air. Probably not clear to humans but his nose could pick up the decaying process across the castle. He laid the sheet out and moved to lift Sumi from the bed. Alucard stopped as he looked over their terrified expressions, Taka still grasping for his split throat. He grabbed their nightgowns, surprisingly untouched by the blood splattered around the room. He dressed them. Alucard tried not to think of if they would’ve done the same for him. Would there be a corpse if he died? Or would he turn to ash like his father? To disappear from the world forever. He closed their eyes with trembling fingers. 

Once they were both dressed, he placed them onto the sheet and used it to drag them through the castle. He didn’t know what to do with them as his feet pulled him forward. Should he bury them? The numb ache in his chest relighting to a full burn as he panted though the sobs threatened to rise in his lungs.

Perhaps he should’ve seen their pain more clearly. He should’ve been less naïve about their intentions. After being alone he’d just wanted to believe in their connection. That maybe these would be companions he could attach himself to. To ground himself against the silence of the castle. Once he reached the first staircase he stopped and looked back to the two. They, at first glance, could almost be mistaken for sleeping. He reached for the other corner to lift them. 

A hand grasped his wrist.

Fire ran up his arm. Hissing and stumbling back, eyes frantically searching for what had grabbed him. Heart hammering in his chest as he stared at the two corpses. Both unmoved, no heartbeats. He backed away and looked down the halls as he held his wrist to his chest, soothing the wound there. The raw skin of his arm burning anew as the silence of the castle mocked him.

A sad and tired laugh left his sore throat. 

It took some maneuvering but he was able to lift Taka and Sumi in his arms. His arms under Taka's chest and knees while Sumi laid atop him. The sheet separated him from touching their warm dead skin. He carried them down to the main hall, avoiding the rubble he had still neglected to clean from the assault on the castle weeks ago. All the movement had caused the semi-liquid blood within their bodies to trickle from the open wounds in their necks, staining the sheet and floor as Alucard walked out the front doors.

He didn’t know why he thought it would be difficult. The corpses that now lined both sides of the staircase to the castle were almost angelic as their black hair and white, but quickly staining, nightgowns flowed in the night breeze.

The cool night air filled his lungs. Starring up to the star filled night sky as if the heavens might offer some sort of guidance. He could feel someone staring at him and looked to the open doors of the castle.

Dracula stared at him, an underlying rage in his eyes. The dull crimson eyes that had comforted him were a terrifying glowing red with blood-lust. An expression Alucard was more familiar with after his mother had been killed. The figure was ever still and silent but Alucard seemed to understand what it was trying to tell him.

He had been foolish for expecting anything different from humans.

Alucard shook his head in defiance. “They were frustrated and out of options. If I had just known what they were…” His eyes unable to meet the ghost of his father nor the split faces of the corpses.

He kept expecting something different from them but they kept proving that he would be left alone in the end. The wind flew through, gently chilling his still wet hair against his face. 

“It’s better if I’m alone. Isn’t that what you thought?” He asked the ghost who of course remained still and silent. 

“Before mother, I mean. You distrusted them. She tried to make you see the good in them. She taught me to see the good in them. Even if they hurt me. In spite of it, in fact. It is the only thing I have left of her to hold on to. Her dream that one day you would see the good in them and find them worthy. The same dream that led me to murder the last of my family.”

He looked down at Taka and Sumi's faces bent unnaturally but the spike of wood from their mouths. His arms began to tremble.

“I know what she would want. She would want me to forgive them.”

“Although...I do not know how much more I can take, Father.” Not bothering with the ghost anymore he moved up the steps of the castle. 

\------

The road was quiet after the aftermath of Lindenfeld. Sypha was actually silent for most of the day which unnerved Trevor. He kept fidgeting with the reigns, toeing the footrest and rubbing the back of his neck. The sun began to set and the road was growing harder to see.

“We should make camp.” He stated but it very much came out as a question to the redhead next to him. Her icy blue eyes staring ahead as she uncrossed her arms from her chest.

“Probably.”

Trevor frowned further, if possible, and rubbed his neck again. There wasn’t even any background noise of the forest to cover the silence. Like whatever had happened in Lindenfeld has scared off every living thing around it. He kept rubbing his thumb over the same fraying spot of the reins. 

“So...did you want to stop?” He asked carefully, watching Sypha from the corner of his eye. 

“You're the one controlling the horses, aren't you?”

Trevor nodded and took note of her tone and decided to not ask anymore questions.

He pulled off the road to a spot where the trees were more spaced out and tied the horses. Setting up camp only took a few minutes, both of them working silently. Trevor kept glancing over to Sypha when she would turn away. He should say something. Maybe he should tell her that she did her best and they couldn’t have predicted a murderous priest anyway. Although Trevor could probably name more murderous priests than non-murderous ones…

The image of the tiny shoes made his stomach flip. He let out a slow steady breath. People were awful. He let himself wonder, with a hint of guilt in his gut, if Dracula maybe had the right idea before the rational part of his brain regained control. 

“Belmont, if you think any harder I really believe you will break something.” Sypha’s voice pulled him back to realize he’d been standing beside the wagon, staring at a crate. 

“Bold of you to assume I think, Speaker.” He teased in return. A warm rush through his chest when she smiled and chuckled under her breath. A small success.

They set up a fire and had dinner, they weren’t able to take much from Lindenfeld. Not without feeling guilty to those still left to clean up the aftermath. So rice and bean 'soup' it was. Trevor didn’t complain. Anything was better than struggling not to starve between towns.

Sypha sat next to him in front of the fire. Pressing into his side and leaning on his shoulder. Trevor could see her own train of thought running off as she stared into the low fire. 

Their work clearly wasn’t finished. It was a bit too optimistic to believe just killing Dracula would stop everything he’d set into motion. Or fix what had been the status quo for years. Unfortunately, it would seem Trevor's inherited sense of duty would get the better of what little self preservation he had left. He finished his food and set the bowl and spoon down as the Speaker finally spoke.

“We can’t let something like that happen again, Trevor.” Sypha’s voice was steady but heavy with emotion.

She turned to look up at him. Her bowl on the ground as she wrapped her arms around his closest to her, hugging it tightly. His expression was serious yet troubled. He had no idea where to look with her icy blue eyes boring a hole into his chest. They could continue to wander and listen for any rumors of corrupted churches or hordes of night creatures. But the two of them could only do so much and the largest hurdle was how fast they could realistically move on their own.

“I agree. Maybe we should return to the castle and see if Alucard has been able to find anything. Maybe his Daddy left a big stack of papers with all the vampires' evil plans nicely laid out for us?” His voice only half joking, half actually hoping Alucard might be able to help.

Sypha nodded and squeezed his arm. “I miss him.”

“Dracula?” Trevor squawked.

The Speaker rolled her eyes dramatically. “No, Trevor. I’m talking about Alucard. I miss him.”

“Oh, right…” Trevor did miss the dhampir, although he would not admit it under normal circumstances.

“Do you think he’s okay?” Sypha leaned in to nuzzle his arm in a way that made him melt just a bit. He pulled his arm free and caused her to pout. Trevor couldn’t help but smile as he gestured for her to sit between his legs. She shuffled and pressed her back against his chest. The Belmont wrapped her arms around her torso, crossing over her stomach. He leaned his chin over her shoulder and she pressed back into him in return. Being able to feel her breathe against him was a comfort he had come to live for.

“Pretty boy is fine, Sypha. He fought and held his own against Dracula. Lord of the Undead and all that. I don’t think many people would be able to catch him off guard.”

“Pretty boy? Haven't heard that one before.” He could hear the smirk in her tone and it made his face warm.

“I-I’m just saying he’s...ya know...aesthetically…”

“Pretty?” Sypha turned to grin at his fluster. Great now she’d never forget.

“What? Vampires use that to lure in prey or whatever, being alluring. Like a venomous snake.”

Sypha just kept grinning as he made himself stop talking, face and neck hot now.

“So in your professional vampire hunting opinion, Alucard is pretty?” Trevor groaned into her shoulder as she giggled. Trevor rubbed his scruffy chin against the juncture of Sypha's neck and shoulder causing her to squeak in laughter. 

He continued to tickle her neck, pressing kisses along the tendon that ran under her chin. It had been a long and difficult few days. Trevor was thankful for the moment of peace though he wasn’t sure how to express it. Thankfully, Sypha did it for him.

He felt her fingers tangle into his hair, gripping firm but not pulling. Nails barely scratching at his scalp. Her arm bent up as she laughed breathlessly. It took only a moment of her looking at him the way she did to move his hands to her waist.

\---

Trevor found himself on his back, leaning on his forearms, Speaker legs on either side of his head as she caught her breath. The fire dying down and the promise of rest beginning to tempt them.

“So we head towards the Castle in the morning?” Sypha’s chest still rose quickly, her face flushed with a pleased grin on her face. Trevor leaned into the soft muscle of her thigh and nodded, pressing more kisses into her skin. He watched the flames' orange light dance along her torso, highlighting the flushed shine her sweat caused. Her hair tousled and eyes half lidded in afterglow. Maybe he did need to put more thought into his spiritual well being. He could be tempted to Hell and back if she only asked.

“Sounds like a plan, Speaker.” They both settled back against their bedding, catching their breath. Sypha's head resting on his shoulder again, her now frizzy hair tickling his neck.

“Do you think he’s been alright, by himself I mean?” Her voice was quiet. Trevor looked over to meet her vulnerable gaze.

“He’s the son of Dracula, I’m sure the Prince of Darkness is just bored out of his mind with us not there to entertain him. He’s a grown man...at least I think he is? Anyway, I’m sure he’s been fine, Sypha.”

\-----

The stench of rotting flesh was thick in the air as the wagon followed the road to the Belmont estate, the castle clearly visible above the trees. Trevor and Sypha both silent and shared a knowing look. 

The last thing they expected was the sight of two decaying bodies, clad in stained white gowns, spiked on both sides of the staircase to the castle.

“This does not look like he’s been fine, Trevor.” 

“Maybe he gets his decoration tastes from his father’s side-ack!” Trevor curled into himself as Sypha removed her elbow from his ribs. 

Trevor agreed with Sypha, something was clearly wrong. Alucard had gone to great lengths to stop his father and what he planned to do. This did not seem like the not-so-subtle threat posed outside Dracula's castle. The bodies dressed in flowing gowns, their neck sliced open. They died quickly rather than bleeding out on the pike itself. It came across as a plea to stay away.

“Trevor. We saw him in the corridor...Dracula.” Sypha spoke softly now, worry was heavy on her face. Trevor connecting the dots himself.

“No, no Saint Germian closed it before he got through....” Trevor spoke more to convince himself as the panic began to bubble in his chest.

Sypha brought a hand to her mouth, grimacing at the stench of death. They stopped and didn’t bother to tie the horses. Both making a beeline for the front doors, wide open into the main hall.

Trevor had the mourning star already in his hand and he led the way up the center staircase. He frowned at the sight of the dried blood from the front door to the staircase. Sypha right behind him as they began to search each room. 

There was mess throughout the castle, rocks in the middle of hallways, the kitchen with dirty dishes at least several days old sitting in the sink. 

“There are three sets. Three plates, forks and knives.” Sypha commented as she gestured to the three wine glasses empty on the table.

“The two out front...He knew them. He’d invited them in to eat with him.” Trevor deduced and shared another more distressed look with Sypha.

In a less tense circumstance he might’ve made a ‘playing with his food’ joke. But he knew Alucard preferred regular food anyway even if it didn’t sustain him as well. They’d traveled long enough together that he knew Alucard would never drink blood not freely given. 

They searched further, finding a discarded sheet down a hall. It was stained an ugly reddish brown with old blood. The sheet was large, unlikely to fit the guest beds they had briefly stayed.

“Let’s check the master bed.” Sypha offered and Trevor grunted in agreement. They did their best to remember the tour Alucard had given them. The maze of hallways the castle had made that difficult. 

Eventually they did find it, the wooden double doors left open. Blood stains along the floor outside it. Bloody bare footprints leading out of the room down a separate hall. They moved cautiously into the master bed. Both on guard for anything waiting for them.

The hairs on Trevor's neck and arms rose when they saw the state of the bed.

The canopy fabric had been sliced cleanly and lay crumbled on the floor at the foot of the bed. The bed itself was stained red. The bottom half soaked completely. Sypha looked ghostly pale as she slowed to a stop, hands clenched at her sides. Trevor didn’t blame her. One could only handle so much horror without prior exposure. If he was five years younger he'd probably react the same.

He let her wait by the door and moved to examine the bed closer. A blood splattered nightgown laid beside the bed, forgotten on the floor. The top sheet was obviously missing from the bedding, dots connecting to one they'd passed in the hall. Trevor then took a slow breath as he could see the blood sprayed across the top half of the bed and the clear outline of a body that had been there when it happened. He wanted to laugh at the crude symbolism of the outline having their arms out crucifix style but worry was eating through his gut at the moment. The outline that was dangerously Alucard shaped.

“I think it’s safe to say Daddy Dearest is not back. But we need to find Alucard, now.” Trevor moved back to Sypha and trailing the bloody footprints down the other hall.

“Trevor what if he’s-” Her brow arched and gave her away before her voice cracking did.

“He's going to be fine Sypha. Just start looking.” Trevor snapped. More reassuring himself that he hadn’t fucked up again. That he hadn’t lost someone again. That he hadn’t been here to protect those he cared about.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did i reference Symphony of the Night? Yes. Will I apologize? No.

With the rise of the sun also came the heat, and with heat brought the speeding of decay. Every inch of the castle stunk of it. He tried to bury himself in the wine cellar to drink himself unconscious but it only made the wine taste of rot. He hadn’t eaten in a few days so the wine sat heavy in his stomach. He hadn’t partaken of blood in months.

Being a dhampir he could survive on a human diet although it hindered his vampiric abilities. With prolonged periods without blood made his cravings worse. He had been practicing since he was old enough to control himself to avoid the need for blood. His mother would fret and have him feed in short sessions when he was a child. Once he grew and required more that she had to give he would not risk hurting her. He knew she would be against him hunting as much as his father claimed he would only hunt humanely, how ironic a term. It stunted his vampiric abilities but he grew just the same and only drank when it was freely offered.

This never stopped the dull ache in his jaw. The smell of still ‘viable’ blood was heavy in the air, the smell distinctly like Taka and Sumi. Their tree pine and salt scent mixed with iron. 

Alucard finished his fourth bottle before promptly vomiting its contents into the corner of the cellar. 

After he finished wiping his mouth and using more wine to clear the acidic taste from it he turned to wander the lower levels of the castle. Once held the armies of the undead and those under his father’s command. Barracks-like cells for mindless soldiers. Bare footsteps echoing in the deafening buzzing silence that surrounded him. 

The stone is cold and holds the promise of death. Bodies he had yet to remove lined against walls, demon carcasses that some poor vermin thought they could feed on. Alucard found the lone dead rat with dried black demon blood staining its mouth every few rooms. 

How many days had it been? His hair was dry and unkempt, fingers tangled in the blonde frizzy waves. The air was warm and damp in the dungeons of the castle. He could still smell Taka and Sumi, the wine doing little to dull his senses. Alucard’s foot caught on a loose flagstone and he had to throw an arm out to catch himself against the wall.

The slight startle sobering him enough to bring another wave of emotion over him. Nails dug into the stone wall, scraping and screeching down the empty halls. His shoulders trembled and his head came to slump down against his arm. 

He never wanted to kill them. If there had been any other outcome he would’ve taken it. If he had been able to see their pain and the desperation he could’ve stopped them. He could have helped.

Instead, he was self-centered and purposely prolonged their time to fulfill his own need for company. 

"I never lied to you. I just wanted-"

What would Sypha have done? Or Trevor? Would they have even gotten themselves into such a pathetic position, to begin with? Shame wracked Alucard’s chest as he drew in trembling breaths. He could hear Trevor’s taunts in his head and allowed a bittersweet smile to pull at his lips.

Their faces brought him a small comfort through the weight pressing down on his shoulders. He wondered if they were traveling a beautiful mountainside or down a riverbank. Hopefully, Trevor would get his head out of his ass enough to see how Sypha would steal glances when she thought no one was watching. Or how Trevor’s heartbeat sped off when Sypha would brush past him. 

Alucard leaned against the cool stone, tears falling and small hiccuped sobs echoing through the dungeons. If he had asked them to stay, maybe they would have. Maybe they could’ve lived together in this silent empty castle and filled it with love once again. He would see Taka and Sumi’s desperation because he wasn’t blinded by his own. Maybe they could’ve stayed too. Their people and families, the Speakers and friends.

The deafening silence was broken by his own voice bouncing off the stone halls. Fear squeezed at his lungs. Nothing responded, nothing called back and nothing stopped the silence from overtaking his voice once again.

\----

A long while passed, probably several hours. His chest tightened and eyes stung, his dehydrated body having no tears left to let him grieve with. Alucard was not surprised to lift his head and the disappointed gaze of Dracula staring back at him.

“I am beginning to truly understand how you felt.” He whispered bitterly. His father offered no response but kept the heavy stare. A look not unlike when Alucard had broken a toy or misbehaved.

“With her gone how could you justify each new day?” Alucard offered and stood up.

“There are good people. Most of them are just scared...powerless. If I had known they needed more help I could’ve done something. I shouldn’t have brushed their concerns off so carelessly. I knew they were growing anxious and desperate. I knew better.”

Rage flared like an explosion behind his eyes when the figure did not respond so Alucard dug both hands into the stone, inhuman strength allowing him to remove the small boulder off the wall and throw it with deadly precision at his father. He blinked and Dracula stood unchanged, while the stone clattered loudly against the opposite wall.

“Say something!” He roared, pupils narrowing into slits and fangs bared. His arms trembled with rage. “I am to clean up your mess. You discarded every good thing Mother did in the name of revenge. We could’ve been teaching them, helping them. But you chose to wallow in self-pity and isolation. You were the one who betrayed her memory!" 

Alucard huffed in exertion, his fist clenched. Eyes wide in waiting as his hair stuck to the sweat on his forehead.

A deep, echoing voice from the walls that chilled Alucard like an ice storm. “And where were you?” 

Alucard searched for the source as his father’s voice boomed like thunder in the bowels of the castle.

“You slumbered while the world fell into chaos. While my armies gathered and you could've stopped it if you hadn’t been so soft. If you had just learned from my mistakes.”

Alucard snarled into the empty room. “I tried to stop you!”

“You were blinded by love just as I was. You couldn’t stop me, just like how I couldn’t save her. We bring these sins against ourselves. You’re damned just as I am, Adrian”

Alucard pressed both palms over his ears. His eyes stung and could give no more tears as he shook his head and slid down the crumbled broken wall. He had done all he could. How could anyone expect him to stop his father on his own? He needed allies, he needed friends to help him. He needed Sypha and Trevor.

“You command that I speak only to close your ears like a child.”

\-------

Alucard found no respite in sleep, only the promise of nightmares so he avoided it. He wandered the dungeon halls, eventually ending up in one of the forgemaster's galleries. The stained stone that had birthed a thousand night creatures to murder the innocent.

The dhampir let his hand rest on the dark brown stone and recalled his first fight with his father. Their desperation to get each other to see their side. His pleads to stop his father and his failure to do so. A hand came to rest across the long scar of his torso. Now it was crisscrossed with the lines from the wires, lining his body and limbs. His wrists sported bright red lines around them, the skin taking its time in healing especially for him. 

Everyone lies to us.

"I didn't." He replied exhausted. 

They had looked so tired, so sick of lies and half-truths. The world was unkind to them and Alucard had not lessened the burden by dismissing their urgency.

"I tried to be different, I swear."

"Then why did you kill us?"

He didn't dare turn around, he could hear no heartbeat. He smelt no living creature within the castle. But the lightly accent voice sounded right behind him.

"You promised you would help us."

Alucard closed his eyes, his hands shaking against the stone of the forgemaster's bench. He tried to steady his breathing until he felt a hand caress his chin. 

Claws drawn and slashed through nothing but air as he searched the area, pulse pounding in his ears. No one was there, just a cold stone room.

He looked back to the workbench to find a corpse lying there, Sypha's skin grey and yellow from death, motionless. Hair matted with blood and throat slit from ear to ear. Her eyes lifeless and still, staring back at him as he froze. He couldn't move any part of himself, his heart crashing against his ribcage. 

The same voice of Taka and Sumi in each ear. "Did you lie to her too?"

Alucard is finally able to move himself as he blinks and the Sypha is gone. His body trembled as he searched the room for her. The sound of his breath catching is the only one he hears now, his ragged gasps as he tries to steady himself. He lowered his head into a hand and grips at his hair.

"I'm going mad, aren't I, Father?" The silence of the castle is its own reply.

Alucard did his best to right himself and head back towards the wine cellar. He needed to get to the kitchen and eat something, maybe then he'd be able to sleep. He prayed he'd be able to sleep.

The stone floor is cold on his feet as he moved through the long halls. Weapons of wars long passed hanging in decoration. A portrait of historical figures or a priceless art piece set up to be displayed. It revealed the true nature of his father. He was a scholar first. He cared for knowledge in all forms and did his best to preserve them. His collections over his lifespan stretching for empires and nation's entire histories. 

He stopped as he passed one of the many libraries. A portrait of his father, he looked young and enthusiastic. The wear of the centuries not setting in yet. 

Alucard approached it and stood before the massive wall portrait. His father a powerful force even in his art. The dhampir starred for a moment. He was exhausted, physically and mentally. 

"Is this how you felt in the end? Tired?" Alucard could barely bring his voice above a whisper. "I'm sorry, Father."

His hair fell over his face as he dropped his head and cradled it in both hands. He couldn't even cry now, his body so tired and weak. 

\----

Trevor examined the pile of silver wire, dried blood, and flesh burned to an ashen black. His brow furrowed as he ran his finger along the burn marks in the metal.

Sypha was surveying the rest of the room, eyes following the slash of dried blood against the top of the bed's thin canopy. Judging by the bloodstains on the canopy and bed it seemed to be one attack; Swift and merciful. Her hands worried over her forearms. Why in the master bed? Surely if Alucard was attacked he wouldn't lead his perpetrator to the bedroom. Especially due to the lack of an escape route if things went badly. She doubted Alucard could be surprised during his sleep.

“Whoever attacked Alucard used weapons from the Belmont hold.” Trevor spat out bitterly, tension tight in his shoulders as he stood. 

Sypha turned, her arms crossed, hugging herself in a soothing fashion. She could see the emotions held at bay behind twitches in his brow and mouth. Rage bubbling under his skin. A few wide steps around the forgotten bedding and she moved to stand in front of him, eyes meeting his. Trevor’s boil cooled to a simmer as he met her gaze and looked guilty. An expression Sypha was not unfamiliar seeing on him.

“Trevor” She started softly, a hand coming to rest on his. She felt him twitch at the contact, not expecting the comfort. “He is alive. He would not have been able to… place them outside if he wasn’t.”

Trevor’s eyes traveled to the ground and gave a grunt. Sypha decided that meant he agreed.

They backtracked through the castle following the bloody footprints. It led down a hall they recognized and it made Sypha’s stomach roll. They stood in front of Alucard’s childhood room. A thin layer of dried blood painted the handle.

Trevor’s brow was sweating and looking almost like he would faint. She reached for the handle and saw Trevor’s hand go to his whip on instinct. They shared an anxious stare before Trevor nodded once for her to continue. A click and the door opened slowly. 

She could see the damage to the walls and bed frame still stuck in time. It felt as if they had never left that room. Flashes of that night playing behind her eyes, flames and strikes so fast they couldn’t be followed by sight only sound. Alucard and his father had slammed through walls and the roars shook the halls. The wooden stake had thankfully been removed afterward, a decision Sypha mentally thanked Trevor for. But the burned rug with a simple wedding band still sat mostly undisturbed.

There were new bloodstains, dried but not as old as the others, against the wood near the doorway. Some of the ashes along the rug had been smudged and displaced in a semicircle shape. 

“He came here afterward,” Sypha stated although she figured Trevor had already come to that conclusion as well. 

She stared around for a few quiet moments with Trevor tense behind her. A thousand questions running through her head as she tried to find any sort of reason or clue to what had happened. What reason could he have to come to this room?

Sypha never claimed to be the best at reading others but she could piece together with what she knew to be true about Alucard.

“I think…he was seeking comfort. This is the only place he could think of.” Sypha almost whimpered as she could feel her eyes sting with emotion. Trevor cursed behind her and stomped away from the doorway, his boot echoing down the empty halls.

Sypha let Trevor leave and bent down to touch the middle of the semi-circle, the rug warmed by the midday sun peeking in from the window. 

She did not want to be away for long and never for something to happen to Alucard without them there to help. The fire at Lindenfeld played through her head and she took a few deep breaths to try and steady herself. The sight of the apple tree and the pit at its base stained with blood clear behind her eyelids. 

Sypha wiped at her eyes and let out a shaky breath. She wanted to help. To prevent tragedies like Lindenfeld. The horrors of the small shoes so carefully placed like trophies on the walls. 

“Trevor.” She called, voice wet with grief. Pushing up on her knees as she stood and pressing her sleeve into her eyes to dry any tears. 

Closing the door carefully behind her before she followed the sound of smashing in a side room. Trevor’s fist was making quick work of the wardrobe as he growled in frustration. His face twisted in a painful ache as he continued to smash the wardrobe and break the wood. 

“Trevor” Sypha’s voice steadied once more. “Trevor, knock it off!”

His clenched and bruised fist met the wall instead and his head hung down between his shoulders where Sypha couldn’t see his face. His back shook with each deep breath he took.

“Trevor, he’s okay. He’s probably just resting somewhere.” Taking a few steps and avoiding the splinters of wood, she tried to comfort but was silenced by Trevor’s bloodshot sclera.

“Yeah…Like that bastard needs more beauty rest.” Even though his voice was heavy with emotion Trevor still tried to push through it with humor. Sypha couldn’t stop the ache in her own chest. She gently took his arm and pulled it from the wall, looking over the broken skin of his knuckles as he calmed his breathing.

\-------

Alucard could not sleep. He laid against the cool stone of the bottom floors and rest evaded him. Mocked him even as anytime he would begin to sleep he would see Taka and Sumi leaned over him. Their faces seductive and coy, right before their neck split and their blood stained everything around them.

He jerked up out of sleep and held back the scream that threatened to leave him through clenched teeth. Alucard could feel their touch still, purposeful hands on his body that made his skin crawl with a horrifying and sickening arousal. Every memory of that night tainted with their split throats and mouths forced open by wood.

The smell of their rot, wine, and decaying demons hit him as he took several deep breaths. He was thankfully able to roll onto his side before expelling his stomach.

Panting and spitting to clear the taste from his mouth as he looked around. He could even smell Trevor and Sypha. His shoulders shook as a quiet laugh echoed in the stone halls. It took a minute or two of laughing to realize it was him. He could almost pick out the last time Trevor had drunk any alcohol under the warm campfire smoke. Sypha’s cinnamon spice mixed with Trevor’s to a scent so delicious it threatened to drive him mad.

He stood but his legs trembled under him. What day was it? Was it day or night? The rot seeping into the air was thick and putrid. Not something that would have developed overnight. Alucard started back towards the stairs, his legs struggling just to keep him upright. The scent of spiced hickory making his throat tight and his fangs ache.

The stairs took him much longer than he was willing to admit, he needed to eat or at least have some more wine. He might have some in the kitchen but that required him to go near the main hall. And Taka and Sumi would be there waiting for him.

His legs threatened to give out when he made it to the top of the staircase and he collapsed to the floor of the main level. It was dark, a few dim candles towards the end of the hall. Had he left them burning? Alucard took several deep breaths, his shirt sweat-stained, and stunk of vomit. He needed a bath, maybe he could wade into the river and see how much the waters could affect a Dhampir. 

"Now, now, sweetling. None of that" His face was cupped gentle and his eyes raised to meet his Mother's kind face. Lisa smiled at him as her thumbs rubbed along Adrian's cheeks. His eyes fell half lidded as he nuzzled into her touch. He couldn't hear the calming thumbing of her heartbeat but his mind pushed the doubt away. He wanted to be comforted and leaned into her touch.

"Adrian, my love."

"Yes, mother?" He is tired but would not deny her. Her voice is soothing and melts the hours of tension away.

"Do you remember my last words to you? You must never forget them." 

Adrian blinked slowly and nodded. "Of course, Mother. I won't."

"You must despise humans, for they are your prey."

Alucard jerked back out of her grip and into the wall behind him. His eyes searched her kind face as she reached out to hold him once more. "My mother never said-"

"Better for them to die than to let them compound their sins. Begin by slaying that one, over there."

"ENOUGH! She never spoke of any such thing." He snapped and Lisa was gone.

“Alucard?” A worried tone echoed in the hall towards him. He slowly rolled his head along the wall to meet it. Another ghost here to haunt him.

His heart seized and felt as if it stopped when he stared at a confused and worried-looking Sypha. Her hair slightly longer and new scars bared like battle victories. 

Alucard could not take this anymore. He struggled to stand and moved to back away, glaring down the vision. 

“Have you come to taunt me as well?”

Her face fell and turned to confusion. “Alucard, what happened? Where have you been? You look horrible.”

He could feel his head fuzz and ears struggle to make out her words.

“Leave me, let me rest. I am tired.” He pleaded, his fight turned to desperation. He wanted to stop the continuous replay. Their faces, the blood, the flashes of his father in every corner. His voice called out to whatever controlled this. “I can not handle this. Not her, please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gimme ya comments, hand em over


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally over 5k and that just felt like way too much. Anyway Sypha found Alucard, now the fun starts :D

Trevor cleaned their dishes from dinner as well as those left in the sink with rotten food. They had searched most of the woods and every floor they felt comfortable enough to find their way back from. The castle was truly built like a maze. It would be dangerous to get lost in the labyrinth of Dracula’s castle. 

Dinner was simple and quiet. Most of the food they found had gone bad or close to. The kitchen hadn’t been used in a week or so. Trevor guessed based on the state of the bodies it matched the timeline. Sypha nursed a half glass of white wine and Trevor huffed as he rested his hands on the edge of the sink. 

“I don’t know why those two are strung up like that...but I can’t leave them like that. I won’t be able to sleep.” He spoke and waited to hear Sypha’s input. She just stared down in the wine and blinked slowly, exhaustion clear on her face.

He was frustrated. They hadn’t found Alucard. Sypha hadn’t been herself since they left Lindenfeld. Whoever was here and attacked Alucard had used Belmont weapons to do so. And he was sitting in the kitchen feeling like a useless piece of demon shit. 

“I’ll be outside, don’t wait up.” Cupping her head, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and she gave a tired hum in response. He left his vest and cloak in the kitchen, it would be easier to clean the corpse-stink out of fewer clothes.

The stench was foul and ripe. Rolling his sleeves up to his elbows before he lowered the wooden pikes. He gagged several times as he lifted the male, gore making the slide off the pike easy, to the Belmont’s disgust. Trevor heaved the corpse to lay next to the woman. He panted and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a mostly clean forearm. 

He eyed both corpses now they were off the pikes. They looked foreign, not Wallachian at least. What would they be doing at Dracula’s castle? Trevor tried not to entertain the idea that Alucard had sought them out. He knew better. But his distrust of creatures of the night and undead always gnawing at the back of his mind. He dragged them both into the tree line of the forest and out of view.

In order to put his own mind to rest he examined their skin, mostly around their necks. No marks, aside from the singular slash of what was probably some sort of blade. Trevor could tell it wasn’t a wound from a fight, too clean and long. But he didn’t think they’d been attacked from behind either, assassination style. Taking in the scene from the bedroom he grabbed a stick and sketched out a crude layout of the blood they’d found.

Trevor frowned at the only conclusion that made any sense. Alucard was secured to the bed, attacked them from the front, most likely in self defense from the silver wires in the master bedroom. The next question was how had they gotten the wire from the hold?

He burned the pikes and started on a shallow grave with a shovel from the wagon. Trevor eyed the Belmont Estate during his digging and found a mix of bitterness and regret heavy in his gut. He was careless with its contents and released the responsibility onto Alucard. His arms flinging another shovelful of dirt out of the hole with a grunt. The night air was thankfully cool and he was upwind of the corpses. 

After an hour of digging, he pulled both bodies into the grave. He panted and leaned on the shovel, muttering. “Am I supposed to say a Hail, Mary or something, fuck…”

Their faces looked almost peaceful aside from the deathly paleness and sunken faces. He dug the shovel into the first scoop of loosened dirt. “In the name of the Father, the Son- ”

Trevor chucked the first bit of dirt and went for another shovelful, muttering to himself as he buried the two bodies. “And Saint fucking Germain. Amen, you poor sons of bitches.”

The sound of the forest and the shovel hitting dirt were the only thing on Trevor’s mind while he worked. For a few moments, he was able to pile his frustration into his task and turn his brain off. No guilt or regret, just muscles working to fill a hole. Finishing up and making sure the dirt was level enough, he dug the shovel into the ground next to the grave and leaned against it as he felt the sweat rolling down his neck and torso.

He was taking a moment to catch his breath when he heard Sypha’s voice call out. Trevor couldn’t make out the words but it was definitely her voice. He’d left the front doors open and the main hall echoed like a cave so she wasn’t too far into the house. She must’ve wanted him to come to her. He would normally be annoyed that she didn’t simply walk to the front doors but he guessed she didn’t want to see the corpses again until he was finished. He jogged up the steps and made his way back towards the kitchen where he’d left her, trying to clean any dirt or mess from his arms.

The Belmont found himself on the other end of the hall from her. With Alucard between them. The dhampir struggled to lean up against the wall. Or at least he thought it was Alucard. The man looked half dead and not in the usual way. His eyes were sunken and jet black with golden slits for irises, not unlike his wolf form. His clothes were filthy and hair a matted mess. Trevor had never seen the dhampir as disheveled as this. 

When the smell of vomit hit him he just cocked a brow incredulously. Had this bastard just been piss drunk while they spent hours looking for him? Trevor felt the universe scold him for the hypocrisy so he calmed down.

“Well, I see you found the missing princess, Speaker.” Trevor looked over to Sypha who was not relieved as he had expected but shaken, her eyes not leaving Alucard. 

“Belmont, I need you to leave.” Her voice deadly serious as her fingers tensed at her sides. Trevor’s gaze flipping between the two of them. Perhaps the Golden Boy wasn’t simply drunk. Could Alucard even get drunk? Focus.

“Do not use her voice.” Alucard’s voice came out like venom, a whispered threat even as his shoulders trembled against the stone wall. “Adulterate her any further and I’ll kill you.”

The hall grew very tense as the Speaker held Alucard’s gaze with a concerned but serious look. Trevor could feel his teeth clench. “Quite the welcoming host, Alucard”

Sypha shot him a glare that would’ve normally at least made him rethink his next action. But they were tired and sick with worry all day. He wanted to drink himself stupid and pass out under a nice tree.

“You could’ve at least let us know you were alive.” He growled as the dhampir’s black eyes turned to watch him instead. Alucard’s expression was one of confusion and rage.

“Silence!” An inhuman roar that rumbled the hall.

“Nope, my turn to lecture asshole.” Trevor couldn’t hold back the grin that appeared when he watched Alucard drop into a threatening pose. “Oh? You wanna fight instead. Fine by me.”

As soon as his finger touched the mourning star at his hip, Alucard pushed off the wall with talon-like nails drawn. Trevor was ready to loose the whip when he blinked and found them both frozen in the moment. Or quite literally frozen. Ice ran up his body and encased his legs and right arm. Alucard’s lunging body was held in mid step by the ice.

“Belmont! Do you take pleasure in ignoring me?” Sypha yelled furious.

The Speaker summoned several more shards of ice and poised them at Trevor’s neck. He reeled back as much as he could, quickly back peddling as the murderous Speaker stood between him and Alucard. “B-But Sypha, he is the one-”

The tip of an icicle pressed into the soft flesh of his under chin and he stopped talking. Sypha shivered in anger before letting out a groan and turning to Alucard. Who looked very confused and was staring at the ice around his body. 

“It’s cold.” He murmured in disbelief.

Trevor scoffed, annoyed. “It’s ice, bastard. You know, what your heart’s made out of-”

Sypha’s ice spike cut off the insult with a thwack to his larynx which left Trevor coughing and gagging as she approached Alucard. The blond man’s hair framed in face in messy strands and eyes that bled back to their usual white when he looked over the Speaker.

Her chest was tight as she looked over Alucard at a closer distance, he looked ragged and exhausted. When she had approached him in the hall he wasn’t himself and clearly delusional. He was normally powerful enough that her ice would only hinder and not stop him. But he was captured easily and it worried her.

“Alucard, It's us. You look unwell.” She spoke gently as she approached and let her ice fall from Alucard’s body, releasing him. He wavered and stumbled on his feet, unable to stand up straight. Sypha rushed to brace him as he tripped forward and clung to her arms. 

“Trevor, come here, help me with him.” She barked as the dhampir went limp in her arms.

“Sypha, I can’t!”

“Would you stop being stubborn and come help?!” She turned to Trevor furious, who was still half cocooned in ice. “Oh.”

\------

The room spun unevenly as if he was laying on a spinning top. His body ached and his head felt heavy. Alucard squinted into the darkness and made out the pieces of furniture around him. A bed, which he was on top of, a wardrobe and bookshelf with a lounge chair. The room was windowless and gave no indication of what time of day it was. His stomach ached and growled with a painful reminder of his lack of food.

He sat up and ran a hand over his face slowly, rubbing at his temple to try and relieve the headache climbing up his spine.

Alucard tried to piece together his last thoughts and how long it had been since the master bedroom. He recalled being disturbed by several visions of his father and others. His paranoia got the best of him and he had lost control of himself. 

He jerked towards the door at the sound of heartbeats and low voices. His fingers buried themselves in the bedding as he remembered Sypha and Trevor at the end. More visions there to torment him, teasing him with his last comforts. 

Alucard went to stand and found his legs unable to support himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this weak. Even after he’d fought his father both times he had been left injured but not invalid. The sound of voices approaching the room gave him pause and he stilled as he watched the door.

“Well I don’t see you coming up with any grand ideas, Belmont.”

“Sypha, no. I’m not comfortable with it until we understand what happened.”

“What happened? It’s clear he was attacked. Maybe he was poisoned or something.” Her voice grew soft and unsure. “His physiology is different so I’m not sure what I should be checking for. But it’s clear he’s emaciated.”

“All the more reason to be cautious around a starved vampire, Speaker.”

There is a beat of silence before a set of footsteps, Sypha’s lighter gait, grow distant. Alucard was uneasy, the voices sounded so close and so real. He felt as if he opened the door he could see then in the hall waiting for him.

A broken sigh leaving his lips as his stomach ached again, jaw feeling tight and head pounding. He wanted to fall back into the blackness of sleep.

Alucard barely noticed when the door opened. His head lifting enough to make out the outline of a man. 

The dhampir had his mane of gold framing his exhausted face, his brow furrowed in confusion as he squinted to focus on the figure.

“Ah, you’re awake. Have you calmed down?” Trevor’s voice was clear and crisp in the air. His gruff tone switched to a serious pointed one. Alucard met the cool blue stare and his heart ached. Trevor’s permanent stubble colored his wide jaw that his chestnut hair now reached down to. No trademark smirk or cocky expression, just stern and tense apprehension.

“I don’t want to argue anymore.” He whispered melancholic.

“Um... “ Trevor blinked and looked over the dhampir as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Alucard, I didn’t mean to- you know, everything was really tense…”

Alucard watched the vision step closer and drew his brow together, too tired to resist anymore he simply watched and waited.

Trevor took the silence as awkward and crossed his arms over his chest, eyes roaming around the room before falling back on the blond man. “Look, are you alright? Sypha’s gone to find something for you to eat from the wagon. We didn’t stock much up while on the road. And everything in the kitchen is turned.”

Alucard starred, waiting for the painful words, the deep jabs at his heart but they didn’t come. Trevor just looked more unnerved the longer they stared at each other.

“I know you go for quiet and broody usually but I- Sypha is all worked up about this.” Trevor gestured to the air, most likely meaning the current situation. “Could you fill us in at least?”

“You’re really here.” It comes out breathless. Alucard doesn’t want to believe it because there are only two possibilities. The visions are getting more vivid and he truly can not tell them from reality. Or Trevor and Sypha saw what he did.

“Alucard, are you alright? You’re breathing really-” The moment warm skin touches his skin it morphed the room around him. He’s staring up at Taka, angry brown eyes making the flesh around his wrist burning anew.

He whipped his arm away and pulled his body up the bed away from Taka. His arms trembled from the strain, his body weak and lethargic. His chest tightens and it takes so much to push out just the few words. “Don’t touch me, please” 

“Adrian”

Trevor’s voice cut through. The dhampir met his eyes and shook like he was freezing, holding his arm close to his chest. The Belmont looked more careful now, his gaze examining Alucard carefully as he stood at the side of the bed. 

“What did they do?” Venom, harsh and rising as Trevor’s icy stare bore through Alucard’s chest. He could hear the speed of the Belmont’s pulse rising, his fists clenched. The rush of adrenaline wore off gradually and the sting returned to his eyes. They were sore and Alucard couldn’t imagine he had an ounce of spare water left in his system yet tears gathered at his eyelids.

“Leave me, Belmont. I am not myself today.” Alucard’s voice was wet with emotion as he dropped his head and his blond curtain came to shield his embarrassment.

Trevor huffed and moved to place a knee on the bedding, stopping when Alucard tensed. His voice was a gentle tone that Alucard had only heard reserved for Sypha. “I can see that, dog breath.”

As Trevor was able to sit on the bed without Alucard bolting, Sypha appeared from the hall with a small woven basket. She looked a bit flustered at the scene she walked into. Alucard met her ocean blue eyes and the realization they were both here in the room set in. They were both here in the castle and they had seen what he’d done.

“I didn’t lie to them” He professed, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. Sypha rushed to Trevor’s side and set the basket down before pulling Alucard to her chest. He choked on the air in his lungs as he gripped her arms, a sob racking his body. Her fingers were in his hair, petting and soothing, she pulled the hair from his face and held him close. He could feel her pulse, her warm, the air from her breath tickling his wet face. Trevor sat close by, rubbing at Sypha’s back as she trembled herself. Alucard’s muffled sobs pierced his chest but he did not want to startle the dhampir again with his touch. He sat close and tried to comfort the best he could. Feeling powerless as he watched the two of them cling to each other. 

“I’m so happy you’re alive.” Sypha breathed out against Alucard’s head, her arms holding him tight and desperate. Her emotions from the last few days hit her all at once. Every bent up frustration or swallowed cry burst through in a tidal wave. Her tone was scolding but shook at the ends of each word. “When we arrived we were so scared you were dead. We couldn’t find you. We looked all over, you are lucky I didn’t burn this bloody castle to the ground.”

The Belmont added with a soft humor to his voice. “I may or may not have destroyed some of your furniture upstairs.”

A broken laugh muffled into Sypha’s chest between his guileless sobs. Sypha pulled Alucard’s face up to wipe at his tears. His expression smiling but warped by the sorrow in his crying eyes. The Speaker leaned over to pick up the basket and place it on the bed between the three of them.

“I wasn’t able to find much, but there were a few pieces of fruit that are still good.” She addressed Alucard who was blinking his eyes clear and avoiding the heavy stare Trevor was giving him.

“You look really pale, well, paler than usual. When was the last time you ate?” The Speaker scolded before offering the apple with just one bruise on it. Alucard’s stomach gave an embarrassing growl in response to the idea of food.

“That depends on what today is.” The dhampir’s voice breaks halfway through and he has to clear his throat. He gratefully takes the apple and bites into it. It is over ripe and soft but he can not complain as it begins to ease the ache of his stomach.

“Three days past the new moon.” Trevor offered. Alucard looked over as if he was expecting it to be a joke from the Belmont. No punchline came.

Another bite of the apple and licked the juices from his chin, etiquette forgone at the moment. “I see. It's been more than six days then.”

\--------

After Alucard ate Sypha demanded he make himself presentable with a bath and fresh clothes. She heated the water in one of the upstairs baths and Trevor brought him an outfit from his wardrobe. 

“Come get in and I will do my best on the damage to your hair.” She rolled up her sleeves and readied a comb in one hand. Alucard pulled at the edges of his shirt without argument to the dramatic sputtering of Trevor.

“You’re going to be in here while he bathes, Speaker? He’ll be…” The Belmont’s face flushed with color.

Alucard’s teasing tone peeking from behind his smirk. “The Speaker has seen me nude before, Belmont.”

Trevor’s face jerked towards Sypha in confusion. She raised a brow challenging him to say what his idioic mind was coming up with. 

“I have mended both your clothing before and tended to your wounds. Please do not behave as if your penis is the only one I’ve seen, Belmont.”

Now it was Alucard’s turn to choke in surprise as he glanced between the two of them. Trevor’s red face turned almost purple. The dhampir cleared his throat and pulled his shirt over his head, facing away from Trevor.

Sypha tested the water with a few fingers before flicking the water at Trevor. “If you’re going to be a prude you can wait in the hall.”

The Belmont glared at Sypha as the water reached his crossed arms. His eyes fell on Alucard’s skin. Angry red burn scars wrapped around his arms and stomach. The burns only reached around the sides of his chest and left the actual back mostly untouched. Trevor watched the Speaker keep a straight face as she waited for Alucard to finish undressing but the grip she had on the comb threatened to snap it.

“I know how bad it looks.” The dhampir spoke unprompted as he stepped out of his pants. Long pale limbs now marred by bright red lines in criss crossing patterns. Alucard stepped into the tub and let out a low hum as he submerged himself in the hot water.

“Is it too hot?” Sypha asked as she worked the water into his scalp. He hummed a negative and looked as if he would fall asleep.

Trevor leaned against the far wall seeming deep in thought while Sypha added soap and cleaned the long golden strands. After a good scrubbing and then again for good measure she started with the comb. Thankfully the water helped loosen most of the tangles although Alucard made no complaint when she would tug his head back along with a knot. Once his hair was taken care of he washed his body himself, careful of the mostly healed skin.

“You usually heal quickly.” Sypha spoke gently with a concerned expression.

Alucard continued cleaning himself as he explained. “I do. I haven’t had blood in many weeks. My increased healing comes from my vampiric half. So my abilities are reduced when I don’t cater to it. I can survive without it so I try to avoid it unless necessary.”

Sypha moved to kneel next to the tub, eye to eye with the dhampir who blinked in surprise. “And you only drink blood freely given-”

“Speaker” Trevor warned with his tone.

“So if one of us offered you would feed? If it would speed up your healing-”

“Sypha!” Trevor bellowed and met her glare head on then growled. “That is enough.”

The redhead stood and clenched her jaw before pushing past Trevor to exit the bathroom. “I’ll go prepare Trevor’s sleeping arrangements while you finish up, Alucard” 

Her footsteps echoed in the hall until only silence filled the space between the two men. Alucard leaned back in the tub and tried to enjoy the heat of the water after many nights, apparently, on the stone floor. 

Trevor stared at him and rubbed the back of his neck. Neither one spoke for several minutes. Just the sound of water splashing in the echoing room.

“Oi, Alucard.” He broke the silence and waited as the blond tilted his head to look over at it.

“Yes, Belmont?”

“Did you kill those two?” Trevor watched the pupils constrict in Alucard’s eyes. The dhampir did not flinch and kept a passive expression. No further details needed to be exchanged, they both knew exactly who Trevor was referring to.

“Unfortunately, I did.”

“Should I assume you put them where we found them?”

“My father didn’t spontaneously return and do it.”

“Are you sure?” Trevor prompted, the image of Dracula reaching towards the portal in Lindenfeld sitting in his mind.

Alucard did react to that and looked shameful before he looked away from Trevor’s stare. “I did it...”

“I’m not going to find other ‘decorative’ surprises am I?

Alucard stood from the tub and out onto the tile floor. Trevor flushed and averted his gaze while the blond covered himself in a towel.

“I should truly hope not, Belmont.” Alucard’s tone was more seldom than aggressive and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If only Trevor could use his words nicely but then I wouldnt get any misunderstanding angst would I.
> 
> Yell at me in the comments


	4. Chapter 4

Alucard now dressed in lounge wear as he helped Sypha arrange a guest suite for the night. She filled him in on their travels and their new fighting techniques. The Speaker claimed she would demonstrate her new lightning magic when they had a moment. When she got to Lindenfeld she kept it vague and purposely left any mention of Dracula out.

"In the Judge's house?" Alucard sat with her on the newly made bed. She took his hand in hers and rubbed her thumb over the slightly cooler skin of his palm. 

"Yes. It was...unpleasant." Her nose scrunched as she recalled the scene.

"It sounds like it. I'm sorry I didn't know about all this.”

She shook her head and smiled up at the blond. Her eyes caught by his long lashes and warm golden eyes. "There wasn't much time. There's nothing you could've changed by the time we figured out what was going on." 

The dhampir let his gaze fall over the curves of her face and the bow of her upper lip. He gave a quiet sigh. Her rhythmic movements on his skin were soothing. The contact after so long without it was addictive. It made small shivers run up his arm and over his shoulders.

"Alucard" He moved to look back at ocean blue eyes now in a determined stare. Her lips pressed in a firm line before she continued. "Can you tell me what happened while we were away?"

The blond searched her face and found only concern and affection. It tightened the grip around his chest. "I will...I would just like to rest tonight. I will tell you both in the morning."

Sypha leaned up to press a kiss to his forehead. "Of course, Alucard." 

A grumble from the doorway drew Sypha's attention. 

"Really, Belmont? You are so spoiled."

Trevor scowled and leaned against the door frame of the guest suite with his arms crossed. He had retrieved his vest and cloak from the kitchen, draped over his arm. "I'm just saying you don't need to treat the Prince of Darkness like he's a child."

Sypha returned with a pointed look of her own but her hands didn't leave Alucard’s. "I'm sorry that you are so emotionally stunted you can't understand why others would appreciate some affection."

Alucard watched as Trevor dug himself deeper into the hole. "I'm not saying- Ugh. He's not a teenager."

The dhampir decided to help and take the conversation in a different direction. "He is right. I am no longer a teenager."

Trevor and Sypha both turned to him with the same question on their face. The Speaker spoke first. "How old are you, Alucard? I know you mentioned you grew faster compared to human children."

"I am twenty."

"Twenty what?" Trevor pressed.

Alucard shook his head. "I turned twenty this year. I stopped physically aging a couple years ago though."

"Huh, that's younger than I thought."

"I hope you didn't assume I was centuries or millenniums like my father. My mother was still human and aged normally." 

Trevor made a conflicted expression that Alucard had trouble picking apart. "No, I just didn't think you were that young."

The dhampir tried to look to Sypha to see if she would add anything but she moved to stand instead and gathered the spare bedding in her arms.

"Well, my feet hurt so I'm going to bed." Sypha motioned to the hall with her head. "Trevor and I will be in the room down the hall. Just call if you need us."

A bolt of fear shot through his spine and he stood so abruptly that Sypha jumped in surprise. "You're leaving?"

He must've sounded pathetic because the Speaker threw a look to Trevor before speaking gently. "We'll just be down the hall, Alucard. You need to rest."

The blond stilled his legs from trembling. The rational part of his mind was overworked from mental exhaustion. He knew they would be there and that they wouldn't leave without telling him. But a small part feared he was still hallucinating. As soon as he went to sleep they would be gone. He felt shameful by his childish reaction and straightened out his expression before his voice came out in a steady but breathy tone.

"You're right. We are all tired I'm sure. You two should retire for the night." He gave a small smile that Sypha returned. Trevor however was studying him with a tense line to his lips.

"Goodnight, Alucard." Sypha nodded before nudging Trevor out the door. The Belmont grunted over his shoulder but Alucard supposed it was better than nothing.

"Good night Speaker, Belmont." The door to the suite closed and Alucard sat back down on the bed with only the silence.

\-------

Trevor paced along the far wall of the room, his brow furrowed deep in thought. Sypha, who was changing into a sleeping gown that one of the castle's million dressers had provided, offered out of the corner of her eye. "Remember we talked about thinking too hard, Belmont. You'll pull something."

He grunted absently as he turned to pace the other way again. Sypha allowed him a few more minutes. All his pent up energy was making her feel even more tired than she already was. "Trevor, it is the middle of the morning. I want to go to sleep and you should too." 

"They died in the master bedroom." Trevor's face twisted in thought. 

"Okay. We know that, why is that important to us to going to bed right now?" She sighed.

"He was laying down when they attacked him. He didn't have any burns on his back. Do you think they attacked him in his sleep? Alucard reacted strangely when we left the room. It would also explain his behavior earlier."

The speaker tilted her head. "How does that explain his behavior?"

Trevor stopped pacing and crossed his arms over his chest. "If he hasn’t been sleeping right."

"Oh…" Sypha brought her knees up to her chest as tension filled the air. They were both feeling a sense of guilt for whatever happened to the dhampir. "I'm impressed you pieced that together. He must be feeling really uneasy."

"I just have experience in the area."

"Experience?"

Trevor was quiet for a moment before he offered. "Of being afraid to fall asleep."

\------

The Speaker was snoring softly on his chest as Trevor stared at the ceiling. He should be exhausted between the day of travel, several hours of searching, and then having to dig a grave. The scene in the master bed kept replaying as he tried to piece how it happened together. 

Alucard must’ve been held by the silver wire, due to his vampiric half he wouldn't have been able to break free. He reacted in self-defense and the two bodies covered the bed and room in their blood. What did they want? He hadn’t seen any signs of looting. There were no signs of battle in the hall leading up to the bedroom. Almost as if they simply walked right up to the sleeping dhampir and he let them.

Trevor chewed at the inside of his cheek in frustration before he couldn’t sit still any longer. Making sure the redhead was properly asleep he pulled himself out from under her and placed a pillow under her arm. He threw on a simple tunic shirt and pants, secured the mourning star at his hip before sneaking out of the bedroom. 

The halls of the castle were dimly lit by the strange electric lanterns. Alucard had explained how they worked once but the Belmont had only understood half the words. A few candle chandeliers hung high in the main hall but the flames had not been lit in a long time. Trevor walked through the halls of the castle, doing his best to figure out the layout himself. He had to backtrack only a few times and made it to the hall that housed the master bedroom. 

“You should be asleep, Belmont”

Trevor whipped his head around to meet the figure hidden in the shadows of the hall. Alucard’s bored-looking gaze almost gave a golden hue to his face in the dim lighting. The Belmont cocked a brow at the dhampir.

“As should you.”

A humored tone was a welcome surprise from Alucard. “Seems we will both be scolded by the Lady Speaker in the morning.”

“I won’t tell if you don't,” Trevor smirked. 

“Very well. I do wonder where you are headed at such an early hour.” Sharp eyes met his own and Trevor resisted the urge to swallow, fearing it would be too loud in the silent hall.

“No point in avoiding it.” He sighed under his breath. “I want to look around the master bed again.”

The dhampir’s eyes widen a fraction and a guilty expression pulls at his marble-like features. Trevor does not appreciate the way it makes his stomach roll.

“You don’t have to say anything. We can get all in our feelings in the morning, it’s more Sypha’s thing anyway.” Trevor grumbled as he nervously rubbed at his neck. Alucard remained quiet although he kept watching the Belmont.

Trevor sighed and shared a few moments of silence with the blond man who could almost have been mistaken for holding a tremble at bay. Trevor was not good at this part.

“‘M sorry about earlier. I’ll talk to Sypha about the...biting thing.”

Alucard’s eyes narrowed in thought not aggression. “I had always assumed you told her already.”

“It’s not exactly my business to tell now is it?” Trevor snapped without any real venom in his tone.

It had been a conversation, privately, between the two of them before the attack on Dracula’s castle. He was not okay with the thought of the Son of Dracula traveling with them and getting peckish in the middle of the night. Alucard had explained he only actually fed from a handful of people. The only case he had used unoffered blood was after he received the chest wound from his father and relying on stored vials Dracula had been using to fill his pantries. Alucard had, of course, used more sophisticated language. But Trevor remembered how he had been selfishly relieved to see how that part of the dhampir made Alucard uncomfortable. For the most part the blond repressed and did his best to avoid it. 

Trevor only knew how he would feel about it if he was in Alucard’s position so he had tried to dissuade Sypha’s idea. Her intentions were pure and just wanted to help the malnourished dhampir but Trevor could guess how it made Alucard feel.

And after what happened in just the last few hours, Trevor did not believe Alucard was in the position to be making those types of decisions yet.

“I had not expected the discretion when we first met. But I do appreciate it, Belmont.” Alucard's wispy tone and pleased expression caused the trickle of heat to enter his chest. Trevor shrugged nonchalantly. 

Alucard began to walk past him down the hall. “The master bedroom, correct?”

Trevor grunted and walked in step with the dhampir as they continued on. It was so different speaking with Alucard than with Sypha. The playful bickering was thankfully still there but there was a tension between them nonetheless. He didn’t know whether it was an unconscious side effect of their natures or just their personalities clashing. He didn’t dislike Alucard for it but it made him feel like the line of comfortability hadn’t been crossed yet.

“Your opinion on Sypha’s offer though?” Trevor interrupted the echoing of their footsteps.

“Pardon?” Gold eyes glanced over.

“She is willing to offer some...you know. If you need it. Your wounds still aren’t healed.” Trevor glanced down the expanse of the chest revealed by Alucard’s lounge shirt. The cleavage from his pectorals interrupted by the angry red lines. The Belmont made himself stop staring and returned to the dhampir’s face.

Alucard grew quiet as he stared back at Trevor as if he was waiting for the Belmont to say something else. The blond looked away when he answered. “I would not be opposed. It’s a conversation we can have later.”

Trevor wasn’t sure how that response made him feel but they had reached the end of the hall where the master bedroom was.

“If you don’t mind, Belmont.” Alucard did not approach the doors with Trevor. “I will retire for now, I suggest you do the same before the Speaker finds out.”

Trevor gave a hum in response and watched as Alucard turned back down the hallway. His eyes narrowed as he observed the clenched fists at the dhampir’s sides.

\--------

Two figures stared down at him with sweet smiles, sweat trailing down their face and bodies as they caressed his face. Sumi’s gasps were high in the air as Taka’s groans were in his ear. The flash of metal drawing his attention, his sword poised in the space above them. It comes down in the wide ark, ripping through the front of his neck.

Alucard bolted up in bed, heart hammering against his rib cage as he struggled to breathe. His lungs felt like fire as he let out choked sounds, hands flying to his neck. A loud gasp finally broke through and he panted, squinting through wet lashes. Alucard leaned forward on his thighs and rested his head on his knees as breathless sobs shook him.

They are dead, he killed them. Two humans with a fraction of his physical strength. Their split necks stuck in a frozen picture behind his eyes. Hands moving over his skin, up his body, inside him. His fingers tightened around his own neck, squeezing the smooth skin.

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry,” he whispered into the still air around him. 

Eventually, his pulse slowed and his gasps stopped. He wiped at his damp face with the back of his night shirt’s sleeve. Taking slow deep breaths he could pick up the distinct burning firewood and cinnamon that filled his lungs. The smell of cooked fish as well?

Alucard dressed and cleaned his flushed face as best he could before following the smell down the halls to the kitchen.

“I think I can cook a fish, Speaker. I’m not a child.”

“I do beg to differ but I wouldn’t want you to lose focus and burn our breakfast.”

Trevor’s voice lowered to a mumbled jumble of words that could barely be made sense of.

Alucard rounded the corner to see Sypha seated at the table, a bowl of berries on the table that she had been snacking on based on the red tint to her lips. Trevor was at the fire burning stove cooking fish.

“It smells...delicious. When did you go fishing?” He asked and watched Trevor startle. They held a glance before the brunet returned to the stove, somewhat flustered.

“Belmont didn’t sleep so he went to collect breakfast instead.”

Trevor’s voice was a grumble. “Collect’ is an interesting way to say locked out and forced to.” 

Sypha did not hear or simply did not react as she motioned for Alucard to join her at the table. They exchanged morning greetings and Alucard realized very quickly how much he had missed their presence. Sypha’s sharp tongue and Trevor’s stubbornness were a comfort he had come to crave. 

“You look much better today” The Speaker commented as she offered the bowl of fruit.

“I appreciate your concern, thank you. I feel much better.”

Trevor brought over two plates and placed them. “Food’s ready”

Sypha patted his side affectionately before the Belmont returned a smile and went to retrieve his own plate. Alucard watched them share so much without saying anything and he wondered how much had progressed between them in such a short time. His chest ached so he busied himself with his food.

Trevor sat at Alucard’s side. To the dhampir’s slight surprise that he hadn’t chosen to sit next to Sypha. They all ate and made simple conversation, mostly about what the kitchen needed and how they should probably make a trip to the nearby town at some point.

Alucard snuck a glance as Trevor was talking through his chewing to Sypha, his jaw working the food and the tendons of his neck moving clearly under his skin. He could count the Belmont’s pulse by sound alone. Their conversation from earlier in the morning echoing in his head. He toyed with his food as his stomach was suddenly no longer interested in it. 

He caught Sypha staring at him with a muted question on her face. A rush of guilt filled his head as he forced another bite of fish into his mouth. His fangs throbbed in strain within his jaw.

They finished and cleaned up, the conversation dying down as they all worked with a familiar synergy Alucard found himself nostalgic over. He placed the plates back into the cabinet and turned back around to see Sypha staring once more. Aqua eyes burrowing through his thoughts and seemed to read him plainly as if he had written it all down. The Speaker was as sharp as her tongue.

“Alucard, do you think we could talk now?” She asked and alluded that he still had an out if he wanted to take it. The dhampir knew that Sypha would get her way eventually and it would be easier to just voice his wrongdoings now rather than later. Before he got too used to them being in the castle again.

\-------

Alucard decided to have them seated in the main library, with high ceilings and comfortable seating. It had a strangely private feeling to him, even though he knew there was no one else in the castle anyway. Trevor and Sypha seated in a lounge with Alucard was across from them in an armchair. The Speaker seemed nervous but kept a solid front which did in some way ease the pressure on the dhampir’s shoulders. Trevor on the other hand looked intense and almost as if he was holding himself back from saying something.

“Do you remember fighting the general of my Father’s court known as Cho?” Alucard started and gave a basic description of her to refresh their memories. They nodded. “She possessed a collection of humans that she kept as slaves in her estate. Two of those humans one day showed up on the grounds outside the castle and asked me to help them learn to kill vampires.”

Sypha interjected. “That is so far to travel, how did they know where to find you?”

“I suspect they left shortly after Cho was called to appear by my father and happened to arrive after we settled the castle here.” Alucard guessed from the information he remembered Taka and Sumi giving him. He felt the need to avoid the intense stare Trevor was giving him, his jaw tight and clenched.

Alucard continued solemnly. “I sympathized with their struggles and agreed to teach them how to defend themselves from vampires. Once I learned of their goal to kill their previous master, Cho, I told them we had killed all of Dracula’s court when we took the castle. They seemed to still be determined to learn.”

He intertwined his fingers and rubbed his thumbs together. “They started exploring the castle on their own at night and asking about the teleporting mechanism of the castle. They had more questions and I evaded them. I brought them to the Belmont Hold and let them research under my supervision.

“It was selfish on my part. I was purposely elongating their time here. Until one night they came to-” Alucard’s grip tightened and his voice lost its momentum. “...speak with me.”

Sypha sat still and listened as a fire burned under her skin. She could already tell where this tale went. Alucard had opened his home and his knowledge to these people and they had tried to kill him for it. She glanced to see how Trevor was holding up and could see the frustration in his face, skin flushed an angry red as he kept quiet.

“I did my best to explain myself.” Alucard laughed brokenly and tangled one of his hands in his hair, holding back the flood of emotion in his throat. “They thought I was tricking them and lying to them. They were desperate and I had used their needs to satisfy my own loneliness. I tried to stop them but…”

He let out another wheezing chuckle and lifted his head to make eye contact with the other two. Do it quickly so it will hurt less. Relieve the pressure and drain the wound.

“I couldn’t stop them so I killed them. They weren’t armed with anything other than a trap and two daggers.”

There was a silent tension in the air as Alucard just listened to the sound of their combined heartbeats, Trevor’s rocketing faster and faster before he stood from his seat. 

\---

Trevor Belmont had felt rage before, he had felt loss and self-hatred. But the feeling that crawled under his skin like fire ants was new and dangerous. They had come to Alucard, whose only crime in life was being born, and taken his kindness and twisted it. They had used his empathetic nature against him. They had taken a Belmont weapon to use against its keeper.

He was angry and horrified and sad all at once. Trevor barely felt his legs as he walked towards Alucard. The dhampir looked miserable, eyes tinted red from the unshed tears pooled in his eyes.

Sypha yelled his name as Trevor lifted Alucard from his seat by the front of his shirt. Teeth bared and a growl threatening to overtake his voice as he hissed. “You let two strangers who told you they wanted to kill vampires just explore your home alone. You let them explore the largest collection of vampire killing information in the world. You were lax enough with them that they walked right into the room you slept in. You’re the son of Dracula! They had you pinned to your own fucking bed. What were you thinking?!”

He could feel Sypha’s hands grab one of his arms and pull but he was glaring down at Alucard’s strained face. They stared at each other as he tried to decode the expression on the dhampir’s face. Trevor’s eyes burned hot as Alucard fell to the ground. His lungs didn’t fill properly as every muscle he could feel tensed as he dropped Alucard.

“If you had a death wish I could’ve saved them the trouble.”

Trevor left the library hearing Sypha screaming his name.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for delay. I was signing a lease and moving. All done now :D I hope everyone is staying safe.

Sypha had become used to Trevor’s lack of understanding of his own emotions. If he was sad he got mad. If he was tired he got mad. If he felt guilty he got mad. It was very similar to a toddler in her opinion. Once she had been able to figure out that he didn’t understand why he reacted the way he did, she was able to corner and get him to talk. Much to his discomfort most of the time. 

She pulled at his arm that threatened to tear the front of Alucard’s shirt. Her own emotions were on edge from Alucard’s story but she did her best to control the pressure in her chest as she yelled for Trevor to stop. He kept talking, his eyes sad and desperate although his tone was bitter. Alucard was a mix of surprise and shame as he was accosted. Sypha needed to separate them, Trevor needed to calm down. She pulled one of her hands free and motioned for a spell.

“If you had a death wish I could’ve save them the trouble”

She froze. It felt like her heart had stopped beating for a few moments as Trevor pulled free and stomped towards the exit.

“Belmont! Get back here!” She practically roared, her pulse rocketing and her own anger boiling under her skin. “Trevor!”

The door to the library slammed shut.

The space between the bookcases filled with only her breathing. Alucard was silent from his slumped position on the ground. She cursed under her breath and brushed the hair from her face before she went to kneel in front of the dhampir.

“Alucard” Her tone was quiet and worried as she bent to look at his face. Eyes like a red hued sunset stared back at her, his golden eyes stained pink and wet with tears. His voice was wet with tension.

“Yes, Speaker?” He gave a miserable smile to try and lessen the emotional punch that his face caused. Sypha’s brows arched as she cupped the side of his face and ran her thumb along his damp cheekbone. His skin was soft and just a touch cooler than her own. Her heart ached painfully as she tried to find the words she wanted to tell him. How could she comfort him? Trevor had already dealt the blow to Alucard's delicate emotional state. If Trevor was oblivious to his emotions, Alucard was trapped within them. 

There was a desperation in his expression that pulled at the corners of her heart. Trevor had said hateful things before, but nothing so coarse as this since they had all gotten to know each other. Alucard had always responded with sass or equally angered words. Alucard knew what he was and his position in the world. Sypha didn’t know if he’d had friends before them. These visitors had shaken him so deeply by their betrayal it seemed almost an overreaction if they had just been his guests for a few weeks.

“You’re not telling us everything are you?” Sypha barely spoke above a whisper but the way Alucard’s expression hardened answered her question. Alucard was always blunt with his words. Very few things gave him pause. She had not missed the way he had wavered in the middle of his explanation earlier. 

‘Until one night they came to...speak with me.’

“Did they hurt you?” She prompted as Alucard pressed his face into her palm. The look in his eyes reminded her of a fearful child. For as mature as he tried to present himself she could see the adolescent nervousness underneath.

He shook his head slowly, silky blond hair running over her arm. “Just the silver from the restraints.”

Sypha pulled his face with the hand on his cheek and stared at him, the insight of a scholar on her face as she was beginning to connect dots in her head.

“They didn’t hurt you.” She confirmed and Alucard nodded. “But something else happened?”

She could feel the warm water run over the skin of her thumb and down her forearm. Her heart breaking in her chest as she watched the dhampir’s expression dissolve and tears trail down his face. He looked like a guilty child. 

She whispered his name before bringing his face to her shoulder, his hands moved to touch her but stopped themselves and kept hovered just about her waist. His fingers curled into fists and he took a deep, slow, and trembling breath.

“I was lonely.” Sypha wanted him to stop talking. She wanted to hold him and make everything stop and disappear. Her fingers tightened their grip as she pressed her face into his hair, hiding her own tears. She shushed him and finally felt his hands grip the back of her shirt and hold tight. “I thought they were my friends.”

The Speaker held him as he sobbed between his words. Her heart severing in half with each new gasp and cry. 

“They told me I was lying to them. But I never lied. I didn’t lie to them, I swear.” His voice grew desperate against her chest, fingers pulling at her back. Sypha cooed and rubbed the back of his head, trying to get him to breathe properly.

“You are not responsible for their actions, Adrian.” She spoke close to his ear, her tone steady and soothing. Sypha was thankful Alucard couldn’t see her face. Rage clear in her features, her eyes narrowed as the angry tears rolled down her face.

“You did nothing wrong.” She spoke in such a way that left no room for argument. “You defended yourself. You did nothing wrong.”

Whoever those two were, Sypha thought as she felt Alucard shake against her chest, they were lucky they were already dead.

\-------

The lift to the Belmont Hold lowers Sypha down to the base level, settling on the ground with a solid thunk. She stepped out and made her way towards the door, the cool underground air chilling her bare shoulders as she descended down the staircase. There are lanterns lit throughout the Hold and distant sounds of shuffling let her know which direction he was.

“Belmont, come out here.” Her tone is threatening as she reached the stonework floor and proceeded down the middle rows of bookshelves. The Belmont’s family library and collection is extensive and would take two lifetimes just to examine every piece it held in it. Thankfully, Trevor’s ancestors were somewhat organized and it was easy to locate the general topic of what one was looking for. Her want to poke through the rows of books would have to wait.

As she went to call his name again he rounded the corner, stumbling into the walkway and almost fell over his own feet before a dramatic flail of his arms saved his balance.

“Why, oh wise Peaker” His words slurred sloppily. “You grace de Belmon-old wif yer presence.”

Sypha reeled at the smell of sweet liquor in the air as Trevor swayed in his stance. Giving him a quick glance over he was clearly intoxicated, pupils blown wide and eyes glassy. His face flushed, hair tousled and the top of his black tunic shirt undone.

“I came to talk to the village idiot, thank you for retrieving him for me.” She deadpanned as Trevor’s eyes held a somewhat serious gaze in them.

“He’s booked til the next moon, m’fraid. Come back later.” He grumbled and pulled an ornate silver flask from his back pocket. She didn’t recognize it but there was the Belmont crest engraved on the front. He took a few gulps with a painful expression on his face and gagged as he finished, holding a hand over his mouth.

“What is that?” She covered her nose and mouth, the smell was overwhelmingly sweet. She could taste it on the back of her tongue as if she had drunk it herself.

“Parently-” The Belmont started before steadying himself against a bookcase. “My ancestors were brewin’ alcohol with monster parts. I don think mos of them are safe to drink tho.”

Trevor gagged again and looked ready to barf but pressed his head into the wood of the bookshelf instead. After his eyes stopped spinning he started snickering under his breath. “That was close.”

Sypha frowned and went to grab the flask but Trevor smoothly moved out of the way, his reflexes not dulled by the alcohol. He placed it back into his pant’s pocket. “Uh uh, dat’s mine, Speaker. Get yer own.”

“You’re down here drinking yourself stupid instead of dealing with what is going on in the castle.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely” Trevor pushed himself off the bookcase and walked away, Sypha’s foot steps not far behind.

“Belmont, you need to sober yourself up and apologize.”

“I’ve said dumber shit before, the vampire will be fine.”

“It was rude and insensitive and inappropriate” Sypha snapped and watched Trevor roll his eyes and grumble. Their footsteps growing in volume as they stomped down the stone walkways of the Hold.

“I’ve come to expect that you don’t think before you talk and therefore you say some of the most idiotic, heartless, selfish things I’ve ever heard from a person. It doesn’t excuse you from taking responsibility from what your words cause.” 

Trevor rounded on her and snapped. “Then leave! If you hate me so much leave me alone.”

Sypha held her ground and clenched her jaw as she glared up at the Belmont. “I do not hate you, I’m not leaving. And you are going to apologize.”

They scowled at each other for a few moments, Trevor’s eyes looking around her face as if he was waiting for something else. Sypha watched the lines of his face relax and his face become less flushed. There was a shaking in his shoulders she hadn’t noticed before.

Her own anger calmed as she looked down and reached for his hand. She held her fingers open and waited. Trevor took a slow breath before grabbing her hand. Sypha intertwined their fingers.

“Why did you say that to Alucard?” She prompted as she stared at their tangled fingers.

Trevor quickly looked away and moved to pull his hand back but she held onto it tightly. He grunted in frustration and rubbed his free hand over his face.

“I dunno” He mumbled in a distressed tone.

“Did you mean it?”

“Of course not.” He hissed out and squinted his eyes in guilt. Sypha could feel his finger flex against her own. 

“Then why did you say you would kill him?”

Trevor tried to pull his hand away again but Sypha kept a vice grip. He bellowed louder. “I didn’t mean it like that! I wouldn’t do that, Sypha!”

“I know that, so why did you say it?!” She returned with the same volume. 

The Belmont glared at the ground and clenched his free hand into a fist at his side. His jaw tight as he tried to work out what he wanted to say. Sypha waited as long as it took for him to find a way to put it into words.Several tense moments of silence passed between them.

“I feel like it’s partially my fault.” He forced out.

Sypha stared and kept silent. Trevor groaned before he continued.

“The Hold is supposed to be my responsibility and I pushed it onto Alucard. And he couldn’t defend himself because they used a monster hunting weapon against him. I was mad at how he got hurt because of me.”

Sypha released the tension in her shoulders and sighed dramatically. “My goodness, you are an idiot.”

Trevor’s brow furrowed deeper and frowned.

“Alucard knew exactly what he was getting into when he took on the Hold. It’s not anyone’s fault this happened. They chose to attack him. If they didn’t use the Belmont weapon they would’ve found something else. Alucard is naive when it comes to people and was tricked.” Sypha interpreted with a few flails of her free hand. “I highly doubt Alucard would blame you for any part of this. He’s blaming himself if anything. And then you went and said something so heartless like that.”

Trevor looked fully guilty now and his shoulders slumped. His hand rubbed the back of his neck. Sypha smiled and squeezed his hand.

“Trevor” His eyes darted between her and the space around her face. “You need to apologize as soon as possible. After you’ve sobered up, you need to go find Alucard and explain yourself.”

He sighed and pulled her hand up to his lips and placed a slow kiss on her knuckles. “You’re right, Speaker"

“I’m always right, Belmont.”

\--------

For most of the night and early morning Alucard decided to distract himself by taking inventory of the pantry and storage. The mindless counting and list making was therapeutic as it numbed his thought process. He could still pick up the lingering scent of Trevor and Sypha. The way the stone settled back into silence without them nearby was eerie. The speaker had gone off to find the Belmont after making sure Alucard was fine. 

He took the better part of an hour planning which items needed to be acquired the soonest. Then alphabetized that list. Then translated said alphabetized list into Latin, for fun of course.

He sighed and pushed himself up from the desk and blew out the candle. His head ached fiercely and the dull pounding in his jaw was moving from annoying to distracting. Alucard was usually able to ignore any craving without trouble but for some reason he felt his control slipping. He decided to retire for now and try to sleep a few hours. Sleep still a lying beast he had not conquered. Even since the other two had arrived he was lucky to get an hour or two in before waking from the nightmares.

The dhampir closed the door to the grain storage and slid the metal bar back into place that held the doors shut. Dracula had let most of the human food rot after his mother’s death so he had not had a chance to clean the pantries until after his father's death. It was going slowly by himself, trips to large towns could take him a week so he had to have the product delivered, which was even longer. He didn’t want to leave the castle unattended for long periods of time.

He still had to hunt for most meat himself until he could secure a regular merchant. Discretion within the trade community was difficult to come by, especially on such an abrupt notice.

Alucard moved to shut off the lights when a familiar pulse rhythm grew closer and the smell of a winter night campfire permeated into the stone hall.

“Belmont.” He turned as Trevor rounded the corner from the upper floor’s staircase. The man wore a serious expression as he approached, his hair a tad unkempt and his shirt unbuttoned towards the top. He looked as if he’d slept on the floor somewhere which was not unlikely for the drunkard. Alucard waited, unsure, as the other man held an intense stare.

He wasn’t sure of his own feelings regarding their interaction earlier. He didn’t blame Trevor for the way he reacted. Alucard was similarly angry at himself. But hearing it from the Belmont twisted the knife a bit deeper.

“Hey” Was all Trevor said in a nervous tone. They stood in an awkward silence before the overpowering stench hit Alucard’s nose and he couldn’t stop the cringe and hand covering his mouth and nose.

“By all that is- Belmont, why do you smell like that? Where did you even-?” Alucard was incredulous. He’d only smelled succubus pheromones in sample test tubes or academic settings but it was just as foul to his nose. A smell one did not easily forget.

The Belmont had the decency to look confused as he smelled his armpit. “I bathed yesterday”

“No the-” Alucard cleared his throat and sneezed his eyes shut. “Did you spill something on yourself? Were you in one of the studies?”

“No? Why would I go in there if I don’t know what any of that crazy metal shit does?”

“Then how do you smell like that?”

Trevor sniffed his shirt and gave a face of clarity. “Oh, wait I drank some of this new fruity booze I found.”

Alucard couldn’t steel the horrified look on his face. “Where did you find this alcohol?”

“The Hold, it smelled like sweet liquor...” Trevor answered nervously as he watched the expression Alucard was making. The dhampir sighed and rubbed a finger at his temple.

“Seeing as the Belmonts had entire textbooks dedicated to different penis spells, I don’t understand why I am surprised.”

Trevor squawked and a dust of color filled his checks. “What is that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you drank reeks of succubus venom."

The two men stared at one another as Alucard swore he could watch the words process through Trevor's skull.

"Succubus venom? Like a sex demon?"

"Quite. To extranatural creatures it's an…well, unpleasant smell is putting it nicely. Is that even safe to consume?" Alucard raised one of his brows at Trevor's expression grew panicked. 

"I don't know! I just thought it was regular alcohol. Fucking shit, am I gonna…" Alucard did not want to let himself feel the jolt to his heart, as Trevor blushed darkly and wore a worried expression on his face. 

He instead let out a breath that could've been mistaken for a laugh. The dhampir shook his head. "As far as I remember, succubus venom only lasts a few days at most. Usually enough time for them to drain their victims. If it's been brewed into an elixir, I seriously hope the Belmonts already did their research to it's toxicity." 

Trevor sighed in relief and ran a hand over his face. "Christ"

Alucard simply held a smug smile as the Belmont regained his composure. The awkwardness from just a few moments ago gone.

"Wait a second" Trevor stalked up closer and Alucard wrinkled his nose at the overwhelming smell on his breath. Did brewing it exacerbate the scent?

"What, Belmont? Your breath is poisoning my lungs"

"How do you know what succubus smells like?" Trevor teased, a wide grin on his stupid attractive face. Alucard was thankful that the man had enough tact to at least leave a few feet between them. "Did you go with Daddy Dracula to some unsavory hell parties or something?"

Alucard rolled his eyes. "Absolutely not, my mother would have buried him under the castle. Father did not allow other night creatures around either of us.

"Oh,right. You're a mama's boy, I forgot."

"Excuse me?" Alucard faltered. "Anyway, I know the stench from studying specimens in my father's labs. Trust me when I say it's difficult to forget, much like your vomit."

"I don't think my vomit smells that bad."

"In reference to?"

"Other people's. Mine just smells like ale."

"That fact that you sound somewhat proud of this amazes me." Alucard laughed under his breath. There were a few moments of good humor before the tension slowly trickled in from the corners of the room. Trevor's smile fell as he moved to rub the back of his neck.

He gave a quiet sigh before he spoke with a serious tone. "I had a reason for coming down here. I wanted to talk to you."

Alucard gave a slight nod and waited, letting the Belmont take his time. Was he going to revoke the possession of the Belmont Hold? Or critique Alucard on his naive hospitality habits. He wasn't sure if he was willing to entertain the second one at the moment.

"I-" Trevor groaned and crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn't mean what I said before. I went too far, m'sorry."

Alucard starred with widened blinking eyes. 

Trevor frowned. "What?"

"You apologized?"

"Why did you phrase that like a question?"

Alucard was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected this, not from the stubborn, loner, monster hunting Belmont he knew. "I just did not expect this. What are you apologizing for?"

Trevor blanched. "For the awful stuff I said earlier. About you having a death wish?

"Oh."

"Oh?" Trevor moved from surprised to pissed. "What do you mean 'Oh'?"

"It's fine, Belmont."

The hard, cold wall hit his back as Trevor's hand balled into fists in his shirt. The Belmont pressed him against the stone. Alucard was still and posed like a snake, eyes glaring at Trevor.

"Belmont, you're shit at apologies." He wrapped his fingers around Trevor's wrists in warning.

Trevor's voice was more growl than words. "It's not fine, Alucard. Why are you acting like threatening to kill you isn't a big deal?"

Alucard searched Trevor's strained face. He did not understand why the man was so upset. It was an off hand comment. But there was a pit in his stomach that threatened to expand if he gave it anymore thought. A painful ache settling in his chest.

"The Tepes line was going to end with me one way or the other. I knew the moment I stood up against my father I forfeited the rest of my life." Alucard was going to continue explaining but a fist connected with his cheek. His face jerked to the side and hung downwards.

Trevor panted lightly as Alucard's head stayed in its tilted position, his golden eyes now bright with predatory slits for pupils.

"Back off, Belmont. I am not in the mood." He hissed in warning.

"Good thing I don't give a shit then." 

Alucard grabbed Trevor by his torso and pushed him across the hall to the opposite wall, slamming them both into the stone within a second. The Belmont gasped as the air left his lungs and quickly brought his elbow down towards the dhampir's head. 

Alucard jumped back and stood in a prepared stance, his claws extended and teeth burning in his jaw. Trevor grunted and straightened his back, rolling his shoulder than had taken the brunt of the impact. They shared an intense glare before rushing each other. 

What should've been a fight between veteran fighters quickly divulged into a scrappy bar fight-esqe tumble. They ran into nearby furniture, Alucard's backwards swing of an arm taking out a cabinet. The Belmont's fingers tangling in golden hair and pulling hard. The dhampir's forehead coming down hard onto Trevor's nose before the warm wet texture of blood hit Alucard's face.

He immediately pushed the Belmont away and retreated to the opposite wall. Trevor groaned in pain as he held a hand over his face, fingers staining with the crimson liquid.

"You horse's ass! Fuck!" He whined as he pinched the bloody nostrils, a red trickle running down his top lip. Alucard swallowed around the sudden dryness in his throat. His fangs felt as if they were pulsing in his jaw as he watched the red line stain the Belmont's lips and teeth. The scent of copper was heavy and like a vice grip on his lungs. The dhampir couldn't remember the last time his blood lust had hit him so quickly.

Alucard took a few moments to calm himself as Trevor grunted and whined through a slowly clotting nose. Eventually he was able to catch the Belmont's gaze and they calmed enough to share a breathless smile. The brunet's teeth pink from the blood staining them and Alucard could hear his pulse rocketing in his chest. A slight deviation from the man's face left a different kind of hunger to settle in his gut when the dhampir was met with a surprising situation. 

"It seems the succubus venom has some after effects, Belmont." He cocked a brow at Trevor who flushed a dark red.

"Don't look at my boner when we're fighting!" The man all but squawked. 

Alucard let out a fit of laughter before he felt a solid chest collide with his own. The Belmont succeeded in taking them both to the ground as the fight quickly resumed to a scrap of elbows and cheap shots. Strength wise, even on a bad day, Alucard was stronger than Trevor. He wasn't as experienced in these close combats the Belmont preferred though. He could use his vampiric abilities or shift into his dire wolf form but it would take away some of the adrenaline thrill that ran through his spine as Trevor caught his lip with a rouge elbow.

It was another few moments before Trevor ended the tussle, his arm pressed down on Alucard's neck and his free hand held one of the dhampir's wrists to the ground. A bloody wide tooth grin on the Belmont's face as they both panted lightly. Alucard could feel the sting of slowly healing wounds on his face and chest, his lip hurt and the familiar taste of blood hit his tongue. Trevor's nose was still bleeding down his face and ran down his chin to drip onto the white of Alucard's shirt. 

The dhampir held his breath as the warm blood soaking into the cloth on his chest caused a ripple over his skin. His jaw screaming at him to lean forward and pierce the heavy full pulse inside of Trevor's tendon taut neck.

"Belmont, your dick"

Another addictive flush of color rushed into Trevor's face as the man scrambled back, both hands coming to cover his crotch as he sputtered excuses.

Alucard laughed breathless as he sat up, wiping the blood from his lip with his thumb. "You need to excuse yourself?"

"No! Shut up, dog breath!" The Belmont's tone was probably meant to come out as imitating. It did not.

The dhampir laughed again, a good distraction from the hunger eating away at his stomach. 

Trevor went back to pinching his nose until the bleeding stopped. Smudged red across his lips and chin. Alucard had trouble swallowing as his eyes quickly traveled Trevor's sweat glossed skin, the putrid smell of his drink breath being overpowered by the smell of life and burning hickory. The smell of copper turning it all into a delicious cocktail that was distinctly Trevor flavored. 

"Oi, Adrian."

The use of his birth name snapping him from his bloodlust driven thoughts to meet Trevor's gaze. The Belmont back to a serious yet nervous expression. Alucard did his best to clear his throat and retract the half inch of fangs that had started to extend from his jaw.

"Yes, Trevor?" He responded in kind, to his amusement the Belmont was not expecting his first name back and floundered for just a moment.

Trevor grumbled through words, as if he was pushing through mud to get through his sentences. "You didn't forfeit your life when you decided to stand up to your father. You gambled and you won. So don't sit there and act like you dying is something you're just patiently waiting for. The Speaker would be a mess if you left us. So don't talk like that, it pisses me off."

There was a trickle of heat through his chest that ached at the phrasing of 'us' that made Alucard light headed. Trevor, while being emotionally constipated, was uncomplicated in his affection. Even if he didn't realize he was doing it. 

Alucard smiled and hummed. "I understand, forgive me for speaking so crudely. I'm a bit more sensitive than usual so I'm overreacting, I think."

"Got it…" Trevor was watching him with a mixed expression. 

There was a comfortable silence between them until the familiar gait of the Speakers footsteps entered the hall.

Her face smiling as she found them but quickly turning to confused anger when she saw the state of the two of them. 

"I thought you were apologizing?!" She barked at the Belmont as she rushed forward to not so gently take Alucard's face in her hands. Her thumb pulling his lip down to examine the wound. Alucard blinked as a spark settled behind his ribs at her sudden closeness and touching.

"I did apologize!" Trevor retorted as he stood, walking forward to stand on the other side of the dhampir. Alucard quickly found himself trapped between their bickering.

"Yes because most people apologize by beating each other bloody?! Look at his lip!" 

"He broke my nose!"

The Speaker's hand shot out as quickly as Trevor's whip and grabbed the bridge of his nose between her thumb and pointer finger. He yelped and pulled back and covered his red, bruised nose.

"Congratulations, it's not broken. I can't say the same for your thick skull though."

Trevor whimpered and cursed colorfully under his breath as Sypha's attention returned to Alucard. Once she was satisfied that he wasn't too badly injured she gave a stern look before pulling at the tip of his ear lobe harshly. Hard enough he cringed and followed the pulling motion to lessen the pain.

"And you! I expect this from Belmont but you know better, Alucard." She scolded as he couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up his throat. 

"I apologize, Speaker."

"You sadistic bitch!" Trevor's painful tone caused Sypha's stern expression to crack just a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gimme ya comments, pls  
> I plan to keep writing but I have no idea where we're going but I have a few scene ideas I want to do. Any suggestions welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love everyone's comments, they absolutely make my day TvT thank you
> 
> TW: there is a brief misunderstanding in some dialogue involving CSA. It does not go into detail and is quickly dismissed but please be aware.

Alucard stared at the familiar ceiling of his parent’s master bedroom. His breathing slowed as the edges of sleep threatened to pull him under while his mother’s fingers ran through his hair, smoothing out any tangles and massaging the back of his scalp. Lisa sung a soft lullaby. It was familiar and calming, reminding him of a time where everything he knew was perfect and safe. Before he understood the complications of other people, the selfishness of others, the pain of loss. Lisa called his name gently and he blinked his eyes open to be met with a halo of copper hair.

“Alucard, it's time to eat.” Sypha spoke in a whisper as she continued her massage at the base of his neck, sending shivers over his skin at the relaxing motions through his hair.

“I fell asleep?” 

She hummed an affirmation as her icy blue eyes stared affectionately down at him. “You slept for a few hours. Trevor went to prepare something to eat, he was able to trap a rabbit.”

Her lips moved around her words and distracted him as the fingers in his hair pulled a shaky breath from his lungs. 

“That's a good spot?” She cooed and repeated the action. He practically purred as he pressed up into her hands, noticing his head was laying in her lap. Warm golden eyes met the Speaker’s and gave her pause as he admired her in his sleepy comfort.

Her face moved closer. The tips of her copper hair tickled his skin and he could smell her cinnamon scent mixed with the berries that stained her lips a soft red as her breath intermingled with his own. His heart sped against the confines of his rib cage, Alucard held his breath as she looked down to his mouth and moved a hand from his hair to cup the side of his face.

Her finger pulled at his lip and she frowned as she commented. “Your lip isn’t healed yet.”

The redhead pulled back to his disappointment and she huffed as she began to push him to sit up. He lifted himself from her lap, missing the soft muscle of her thighs as he turned towards her.

“Your healing abilities are much slower than before.” She commented with a worried tone. 

“I haven’t had any blood since before we fought my father so my healing rate has slowed closer to that of a human’s.” Alucard could still feel the touch of her fingers in his hair. 

“I know you don’t want to drink from us…” Sypha took a moment, almost as if she needed to gather herself. She placed her warm hand over Alucard’s and squeezed. “I would feel better knowing you were at your full strength. I could bleed myself if you don’t want to drink directly from me.” 

Alucard felt a bit touched at the sentiment and thought she had clearly put into this. “I’m assuming Belmont explained my hesitations.”

“Explained’ isn’t the word I’d use. He told me you were uncomfortable with it.”

“That is a fair summary. The blood lust a vampire experiences can be...overwhelming.” Alucard clarified as he turned his palm to hold Sypha’s hand in return. “It is unlikely but there is always a possibility of losing myself during a feeding. The longer between feedings makes that possibility worse. I really only used to drink from my mother.”

“Your mother gave you and your father her blood to drink?” Sypha questioned innocently, her need for new knowledge poking through her concern. Alucard smiled at the memories that came to mind.

“No, not my father. He rarely drank from her. He had a tendency to drain his...sources. She would feed me against his wishes, she didn’t want me to kill anyone by accident. Until I was an older child it wasn’t an issue. I didn’t experience blood lust until I was a young teenager. I switched to intermediate feeding and switched to a human diet for the most part. Without blood I am just restricted in which vampiric abilities I can use.”

“So if you drank some your healing would return?” 

“I am able to convert the life energy of blood I consume into my own. So in a crude sense it is expedited healing.”

“You said you’ve gone without it for months, do you not crave blood?” Her well meaning question sent a rush of heat up his spine. The thudding of her heartbeat made his throat dry and he resisted the urge to swallow. He must’ve reacted because her fingers tightened around his.

Her eyes caught him and a frown pulled at her red stained lips. “Alucard, you can ask. We are your friends, you don’t deserve to suffer. “

He couldn’t bring himself to break the stare she’d froze him with. 

“You might think differently of me, I don’t want either of you to worry I’d hurt you.”

Sypha smiled. “You wouldn’t. And even if you did, I’m strong enough to stop you so don’t worry so much Alucard.”

In the silent moment that followed they both noticed the sound of Trevor’s footsteps approach the room. He knocked before he swung the door open.

The Belmont looked as if he was going to say something that caught in his throat as he gave the two of them a surprised look, down at their enclosed hands and back to their close faces. “Sorry, uh, food’s ready. I’ll be...kitchen, yeah-”

The man excused himself, closing the door quickly, to Alucard’s mild confusion. He looked to Sypha for explanation and found her dragging her free hand down her face in frustration. 

Alucard gently pulled his hand away, wondering if the Belmont was uncomfortable by their touching. It did seem as though he and the Speaker had furthered their relationship. The dhampir felt a bit guilty at disliking the loss of Sypha’s touch.

“Speaker, is everything alright?”

“Oh, everything’s fine. Trevor’s just as oblivious as you are, don’t worry.” She rolled her eyes and pushed herself to the edge of the bed.

\--------

The three of them sat in one of the sitting rooms as they ate. Alucard had brought up several bottles of wine to sample much to the other two’s delight. Light conversation and food seemed to have quelled any tension from Trevor to the dhampir’s relief.   
The Speaker left to grab more food from the kitchen leaving Trevor and Alucard alone. The dhampir caught the Belmont’s gaze before the human quickly redirected his eyes to the side. 

“Belmont, I wanted to clear any misunderstandings.” Before Trevor could make the smart ass comment he wanted Alucard got straight to his point. “I have no intention of getting between you and Sypha.”

Trevor coughed on his wine. He sat with his mouth opening and closing like a fish as he struggled to find what he wanted to say. 

The scene flashed in his head. The two most beautiful people he’d ever met, staring at each other, leaning into each other’s touch. He felt like he’d walked into every wet dream he’d had since he was thirteen. Though it was usually two women but his brain had made the decision on its own that Alucard was an exception to this rule. Long blond hair and eyelashes like a damned cow, what was he supposed to do? He reminded Trevor of depictions of sirens, deadly beautiful.

The Belmont tried to regain his train of thought as Alucard stared at him, a frown on his stupid perfectly symmetrical face. 

“Um…” A wonderful start. “Wait, what’s going on?”

The dhampir frowned sheepishly. “It seemed as if you were uncomfortable by the Speaker and I being physically close. I just wanted to clearly state I do not have any intentions with Sypha.”

Trevor was only uncomfortable because it unlocked something he had been trying to ignore since he’d met the blond man. He’d never found himself attracted to other men before so he kept trying to rationalize why he would stare at the arch of Alucard’s waist or the sharp angles of his face. His fucking cleavage. Not to mention the whole vampire thing. He was pretty sure his ancestors were cursing him from the afterlife.

Trevor tried to replace the situation of Sypha and Alucard with another man and he immediately felt the prickling of rage throughout his body.

So it was an Alucard specific exception, great. Not complicated at all. His mind supplied several more risque scenarios with Sypha and Alucard and he chugged the rest of his wine to hide the flush that crept up his neck and cheeks.

“Look, Anti-christ-”

“Could you not call me that?”

“M’kay, how about Satan spawn? Prince of Hell?”

“Belmont”

“How about ‘pretty boy’?” Sypha’s interjected and she entered the study with a plateful of food. Trevor felt the rush of panic. His stupid off hand comment had finally come to bite him in the ass.

Alucard watched the Speaker sit back down. “Pretty boy?”

“Yeah, Trevor-”

“Anyway! What I was gonna say is that it’s fine, don’t worry about it.” Trevor’s heart was running a mile around his ribcage as he moved to empty the remaining fourth of a wine bottle.

Sypha was grinning obnoxiously as she glanced between the two men and waggled her brow at Trevor. He suddenly found the grain of wood very interesting. Who would take the king of the undead, Dracula, would be a birch wood guy? A nice center cut too, no knots.

“So what’re we talking about?” Sypha poked with a grin.

Alucard thankfully was able to redirect the Speaker’s attention with some sort of academic, magic-y topic. Trevor was allowed to wallow in his embarrassment in peace and made quick work of another glass of wine. He was way too sober to be having these types of dangerous conversations.

He slumped in his chair, hiding half his face in his hand as he leaned on the arm of the chair. He watched the two go back and forth. He only understood every fifth word but they seemed to be enjoying the conversation. Sypha got animated and spoke quickly, her hands motioning to the air around her as Alucard would offer a nod or comment. The dhampir sensed his stare and made brief eye contact, a quick smile at Trevor before he returned the Speaker. 

He was truly fucked, huh?

\----

Soon enough Sypha reached for the open bottle of wine and refilled her glass. Alcohol loosening her words. “Alright, Belmont. Strangest place you’ve had sex?”

Trevor coughed loudly. Alucard looked on with sympathy as the man regained his composure. “Speaker, Mary’s tits! Why do you want to know that?”

Sypha shrugged and sipped at her wine. “It’s not like my grandfather let me hear any of the fun stories when we were traveling. Come on!”

Trevor sighed and thought for a moment. He rubbed at his neck nervously as he muttered quietly. “I guess probably inside a confession booth.”

“What?!” Sypha leaned forward with a wide grin as Alucard wore an amused half smirk.

“It wasn’t like I was trying to start there! We were in the chapel and some of the priests came in and she pulled me into the booth!” Trevor defended quickly before groaning and taking a few long gulps of his wine. The three of them were fairly tipsy at this point in the evening. “Fine, what about you Speaker?” 

“Just the odd stable. Very boring.” She sighed dramatically.

“Are you just picking on me? Fine, Alucard?” Trevor whipped around to the dhampir who blinked over his wine glass.

“Actually, Trevor why don’t-” Sypha’s suddenly tense tone was overtaken by Alucard’s calm answer.

“My parent’s bed.”

Trevor paused mid-sip as Sypha held back a nervous wince as she watched Alucard’s face. His marble features were calm as he sipped at his wine. She could make out the lightest tension in his shoulders.

“Jesus Christ, I knew Dracula was awful but-” Trevor spat out.

“Belmont, stop talking” Alucard’s warm gaze suddenly became predatory as he dared Trevor to finish his thought. 

“So it wasn’t…?”

The dhampir gave him the kind of stare that made Sypha avert her eyes for a moment. Alucard sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “No, Belmont. Whatever you’re thinking, no.”

Trevor furrowed his brow and had to clear his throat again, the sting of wine in his lungs made his eyes water. “So what? You sneak some lady vamp into the castle?”

“I’ve told you my father didn’t allow other night creatures around my mother and I. No, they were humans.”

Trevor’s face relaxed to a smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. “They? Like more than one? I didn’t think you had that in you, dog breath. You seem like the wine and dine under the moonlight type.”

Sypha set her glass down and felt a chill run over her. She could feel the demeanor shift in Alucard. His eyes watched his half empty wine glass, there was a small crack climbing up the side from the grip he held it with.

“Trevor, let’s change the subject.” She offered softly, trying to send the Belmont a pointed look. Trevor returned with a confused eyebrow.

“No it’s fine, Speaker.” Alucard spun the wine glass between his fingers, expertly spilling none of the wine as it ran up along the edges. “Belmont wants to know about all the seedy, nasty things the son of Dracula is capable of.”

Trevor glanced between Alucard’s sudden seriousness and Sypha’s nervous expression. What the hell was going on?

“I’m the type that takes a man and woman at the same time.” The dhampir set his glass down on the table. He moved to hover above Trevor’s lap, a knee sliding on to the cushion against Trevor’s thigh. Talon-like nails tracing the heavy pulse of the Belmont’s carotid. Trevor’s skin grew hot to the touch as Aucard could taste the wine on his breath. The Belmont’s cheeks and neck flushed red as he stared up at Alucard’s face, wearing an expression that the dhampir didn’t want to dissect at the moment.

“I’m the type that craves so deeply I let them take me in the bedroom of the man I killed. And once they had given all they could and finished me….” Alucard’s breath caught for a moment as the warm, callous hands of the Belmont ran up his thighs to settle on his hips. It made him feel dizzy through the scenes playing behind his eyes. 

Trevor stiffened as Alucard’s talon traced a path across the front of his throat, a nauseating feeling rose as the dhampir finished his sentence. “...I slit both of their throats and let them choke on their own blood.”

“Adrian, that’s enough. Please” The Speaker’s thready voice pulled Alucard back enough to meet Trevor’s appalled face. 

The Belmont swallowed slowly as he stared down, mind working through the connections. He had come to a similar conclusion of why the bodies had died in the master bedroom. He wanted it to be any other reason. So much so that he hadn’t let himself entertain the possibility.

Alucard was trying to be intimidating but the miserable look in his gold eyes gave him away.

An uncomfortable silence filled the study. Sypha slowly moved to stand next to Trevor’s chair and pulled at the side of Alucard’s face. The dhampir shifts his glossy red tinted gaze to her. 

Both of them looked at the brink of tears and it sent a disastrous feeling of hopelessness through Trevor. He didn’t know what to do. 

The revelation that Alucard’s attackers had slept with him as a way to manipulate him into a vulnerable position made the Belmont want to vomit. It answered every question he had about the attack. Why the bedroom, why such a clean cut, why Alucard had none of the crisscross wounds on his back. 

When was the last time Alucard had something good happen to him?

He lifted his hands to wrap around Alucard’s shoulders and pulled him down to his chest. The dhampir was stiff but allowed his face to be pulled against Trevor’s shoulder. The Belmont awkwardly gripped the back of his neck and held tight, ignoring the shaking in his own arms. 

“What do you need?” He asked smoothly. He didn’t know how to help. How to protect from this.

Alucard was still and slowly relaxed into Trevor’s lap, his fingers gripped Trevor’s shirt. Sypha came and slowly rubbed the dhampir’s back, sharing a concerned look with Trevor.

“This...is good.” Alucard’s words were so quiet Trevor almost missed them. He gave a grunt and held the other man tightly while the Speaker whispered comforting words between head kisses and back strokes. 

The weight of Alucard was surprisingly light, the man’s breath warm against his shoulder. The dhampir had his face buried in his shirt and Trevor made no comment when he felt the fabric dampen with tears. The Belmont hoped he was doing enough, should he hold tighter, loosen up? Should he say something?

Sypha’s lips pressed a chaste kiss against Trevor’s cheek. Her eyes glossy and damp as she sat on the arm of the chair, rubbing Alucard’s back in a constant rhythm. The Speaker looked just as frustrated as he felt.

“I’m sorry.” The whimper was breathless. 

Trevor moved his hand to the back of Alucard’s neck to his head and pulled the blond man closer. 

“You did nothing wrong.” Sypha consoled.

“I didn’t lie to them, I didn’t lie…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay now everyone is sad :D 
> 
> please yell at me in the comments


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did this update take too long? probably. Can I write smutty scenes? No. Will I try anyway? Yes. Will the rating go up? I dunno I have to review the difference between mature and explicit between now and the next chaps.

The castle walls were uncomfortable as Trevor stared up at the roof, counting stone bricks in the ceiling. His arms placed behind his head as a makeshift pillow. The sound of Sypha and Alucard’s mismatched breathing was calming but unable to let him fall asleep. He had tried, truly, tonight. 

The three of them had created a makeshift bed out of blankets on the floor. Bedding and spare sheets from several closets littering the floor in a mirage of patterns and colors. Sypha refused to let go of Alucard. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding his face against her chest. 

They had both eventually fallen asleep. Trevor had seen how exhausted they both were and made the choice to let them sleep where they were instead of moving them.

The Belmont forced his eyes closed and did his best to count, to listen to the relaxed breathing, to stop everything. It was probably early morning by now. 

Trevor sat up silently, his body moving fluidly and carefully as to not wake the other two. Alucard was so tired, even he didn’t stir when the Belmont stood.

He left the door to the study open, fearing the sound of it closing might wake one of them. Trevor didn’t relax his steps until he was well out of earshot of the echoing halls. Into the entrance hall, slipping through the front doors before he took a deep breath. The cool night air filled his lungs and he resisted the urge to scream. 

The night sky was full of clouds obscuring the stars behind them. The grey hazy sky dismal.

Trevor busied himself checking on the horses. He’d made them a makeshift ‘stable’ out of some fallen logs and broken stone pieces from the castle. They huffed at him as he approached, annoyed at being woken up. He went through the motions of filling their water and feed. 

“I'm sorry, is this better or worse than being jumped by demons every night?” He asked the mare as he gave her neck a few rubs. She snorted and dug her hoof into the ground.

“Your feedback is very important to us. Please enjoy the rest of your stay at shithole hell castle stables.” Trevor was quite sure the horse was judging him at this point so he wandered off towards the Belmont Hold. 

The alcohol had worn off and the horrid state of sobriety was approaching. Alone with his thoughts at night? Not on his watch. 

There was the nauseating feeling of nostalgia as he swore he could hear his siblings running down halls, his mother calling after him. The Belmont entered the lift Alucard had prepared for the Hold and lowered himself to the base level. It didn’t take him long to maneuver through the bookshelves and cases of weapons. He found the cases of whiskey and monster liquor. Deciding he wasn’t quite that adventurous to go for round two with any weird monster parts that his ancestors thought appropriate to add, Trevor went for the tried and true whiskey.

The first few swallows stung. The whiskey harsher on his stomach than the wine had been. He sighed and took another mouthful as soon as he could feel his tongue again. Finding a nice corner he wandered with the whiskey glass in hand, skimming over the titles of the tomes and manuals. Book spines of different makes and materials but all ornate and well preserved.

“Balore summoning and tactics.’ Didn’t need ya, sorry” He skimmed the titles reading them aloud. His fingers danced across the top of the spines in between bringing the bottle to his mouth.

“The Belmont Legacy’? Whoops, dunno how to tell you this.” He gave the large leather-bound tome a sympathetic pat. Pulling it out and flipping through the first few chapters left a sour taste in his mouth. Skimming over the accomplishments of his kin and the good they had done, the evil that had prevented, all wasted for a broken library beneath Dracula's castle.

“You're out of date, sorry pal.” He slid the book back into its home on the shelf.

He made it to the end of the bookcase before the whiskey finally started to fuzz over his mind. The glorious state of numbed blank thoughts usually lulled him into a state of comatose enough to get a few hours of sleep. Today it seemed he’d pissed off whatever fucked god was in charge of his tortured existence. He kept replaying the conversations between himself and Alucard. 

“You let two strangers who told you they wanted to kill vampires just explore your home alone. You let them explore the largest collection of vampire killing information in the world. You were lax enough with them that they walked right into the room you slept in. You’re the son of Dracula! They had you pinned to your own fucking bed. What were you thinking?!”

Trevor pressed his forehead into the cool wood of a bookcase. His fist clenched at his side as he grunted.

“Idiot” 

He connected his knuckles against the hardwood with a hiss of pain. 

“Selfish bastard” Thud.

Thud. “Worthless”

“piece” Thud. “of”

“shit!” His knuckles sent jolts of pain down his arm as the skin split and his blood started to pool and drip slowly onto the stone floor. The pain cleared his head enough for him to sigh and take a step back, holding his hurt fist to his chest. 

Why did he do this every time? Why didn't he just voice his actual concern for the dhampir instead of turning around to throw insults and threats?

He let himself breathe as the anger left but the shame settled into its usual spot in his chest. It twisted his insides. 

Trevor barely caught himself and he fell against the side of another shelf before emptying his stomach.

Nevermind, just alcohol, not shame. 

He spit and coughed, wiping his mouth And smearing blood across his face from his split knuckle. Now, in the probably priceless Belmont Hold, vomit and whiskey dirtied the floor. Great. He scrunched up his nose at the acidic smell.

“Yeah, I don’t know what Alucard was talking about. The weird sex alcohol definitally smelled better then that.”

\----

“Adrian” He turned to face his father, the man standing tall in the doorway of the laboratory as Lisa oversaw his textbook studying.

“Yes, Father?” 

Warm red eyes wrinkled at the edges as a small smile peaked through. Dracula came forward to pat the top of his head affectionately before he shared a quick kiss with Lisa. 

“Not causing your dear mother any trouble?” He inquired in good humor. Adrian shook his head, golden strands grew frizzy from the motion. His hair was gathered in Lisa’s hands as she began to redo the tie. 

“He’s learning much too quickly, if that was a problem.” She commented, her voice like the warm sun on his back. “We’ve gone through three books this week, love”

Dracula hummed and crossed his arms dramatically. “Well, if he’s gotten so good at his readings perhaps we should start more practical applications.”

Adrian jumped off the stool, his hair falling out of the tie Lisa was in the middle of tying. The vampire gave his wife a sympathetic shoulder rise as his son grew excited. 

“Are you going to teach me how to turn into a bat?”

Dracula waited for him to settle before he answered. “Well that depends on you, shifting is different for everyone. A bat might not be what you’re most comfortable with.”

“What do you shift into, Mother?” He asked excitedly before Lisa stood behind him to regather his hair. Her fingers running through the knots before pulling the hair together. 

Adrian did his best to stand still this time. Lisa answered with an amused tone. “Adrian, my love. I’ve told you. Humans can’t normally do extranatural creature abilities. I can’t transfer my energy into anything willingly. My body goes about using it as it needs. You and your papa are special.”

She kneeled down and Adrian turned to meet her silvery blue eyes. She continued with a kiss on each of his cheeks and one to his forehead. “That’s why you must help those who can’t help themselves. You’re gifted with these amazing things only you can do."

“I know, Mother.” He answered obediently and dissolved into a fit of giggles as Lisa’s fingers tickled his sides.

“Off you go, be kind to your Father. He’s an old man, you know.” She placed one more kiss before standing and Adrian rushed off to follow his father out the door of the laboratory. 

As he broke through the threshold of the doorway, Alucard opened his eyes. 

He blinked the salty sting of tears and he moved to sit up. The dhampir was stopped by a pair of arms wrapped around him in a vice grip. Sypha snored away unbothered but unyielding in her hold. It took Alucard a moment but he was able to slip from her arms.

He wiped at his face, wet cheeks and damp lashes weren’t how he would choose to wake up. Chest aching with the sudden loneliness when he realized he had been dreaming.

They were in the study, by the pile of blankets he figured they had slept here. Well, he and Sypha at least. The Belmont was nowhere in sight and his scent was several hours old.

A peek out of one of the heavy curtains revealed the sun to be rising, just an hour or so after dawn. The dhampir knelt down and gently shook the Speaker until she grumbled nonsense and squinted her eyes open.

“Alucard? What’s going on?” She asked, her voice heavy with sleep. She stretched, moving the blankets around and her hair was gently tousled from spending the night on the floor. 

“It’s morning. Seems that we fell asleep in the study.” He explained as she pulled herself into a sitting position. She winced and a hand flew to her forehead. Alucard quickly did a once over of the Speaker, worried that she’d hurt herself. 

“My head” She whined and groaned into her hands. “I think I’m hung over.”

Alucard immediately relaxed. “Oh, well let's get you some water then. Would you like to wait here?”

“No, I’ll follow. Just give me a moment.”

It turned out the Speaker needed more than a moment and Alucard eventually led her to the kitchen, shutting any window drapes letting light into the room. Sypha took a seat at the table as Alucard brought over a glass and an amber bottle with a label on the front.

Sypha watched as the blond man opened the bottle and poured a small amount of the oil substance into her water. “What’s that?”

“Willow bark extract.” Alucard answered as he closed the bottle. “It should help with the headache.”

The Speaker took a few moments to finish the glass. Meanwhile, Alucard was trying to pick up any signs of Trevor. He must’ve been outside the castle grounds.

Sypha watched the dhampir replace the bottle to its spot on a shelf. She could tell Alucard’s eyes were tired but he seemed to be in a somewhat better mood.

“Your mother was a medicine woman, correct?”

Alucard turned to face the redhead, a smile pulled at his lips. “She preferred the term 'doctor'. But yes, she focused most of her efforts on healing the sick and wounded.”

“She taught you her craft?”

“She did, so did my father. I was taught several different areas of study.”

“Dracula knew medicine?”

The dhampir didn’t blame her incredulous tone. “Before he was the monster you met, he was a man of science. He has tomes full of centuries of medical practices. Between his library and the Belmont Hold, this is probably the largest collection of knowledge since the Library of Alexandria.”

Sypha gave him a questioning look. Alucard quickly decided that was not a conversation he should have with the Speaker indoors. “It was a...nevermind, another time for that one. It’s probably the largest collection in Europe.”

“That’s a bit intimidating. How long will it take me to read everything? I’ll be an old crazed bat by the time I learn a fraction of what is here.” Sypha sighed and Alucard took the opportunity to refill her water glass.

"Perhaps try to narrow your scope of study?" Alucard offered and had to hold back a smirk at the offended look Sypha shot him.

They ate a simple breakfast. Sypha's stomach turned at the mention of eggs so it was fruit and bread. Alucard checked her temperature periodically, just making sure it was a simple hangover. 

The Speaker pushed into the cooler skin of his hand and let out a sigh of content.

The dhampir watched her close her eyes and nuzzle his hand. It was an addictive feeling everytime she pressed against him. The way her scent made his head fuzz and ears ring. He felt the press of lips to the inside of his wrist and his heart leapt into his throat.

Sypha held his forearm and kissed his wrist again. A gentle smile on her lips as she held Alucard's stare.

"We missed you, you know? We wondered what you were doing, if you were thinking about us. If you missed us like we missed you."

Alucard's stunned silence caused an underlying tone of nervousness to enter Sypha's tone as she rubbed her thumb along his forearm and asked.

"You...did miss us right?" 

Adrain felt a strange sense of boldness come over him. The relief of his anxieties being calmed briefly and the tightness in his chest at her questioning gaze mixed into a warm rush.

He leaned down to hover just out of reach of her berry tinted lips. The tickle on his lips when her breath hitched was better than he could've imagined. "I missed you desperately, embarrassingly so. I may have made dolls of you and Belmont to talk to."

Sypha's hooded eyes blinked wide and she snorted. "You did not. Because if you did, I would be very upset you hadn't shown me them yet."

\------

Sypha moved doll Trevor's arm as she imitated his voice, comically in her accent. "Now Sypha-! I'll have you know I enjoy smelling like a barn. It makes me smell manly"

"Well I'll not hear a word until you've bathed. It's uncivilized." Alucard's shrill pitchy imitation of Sypha's accent was cut off as the Speaker smacked his arm playfully.

"I don't sound like that, Alucard!"

Trevor stood, very confused, in the doorway of the library. The speaker and dhampir were sitting in the pile of blankets and maneuvering two handmade dolls that looked very much like himself and Sypha.

The Belmont was also very glad he'd decided to freshen up before returning due to his apparent 'barn' smell.

"Um…" Trevor started but had no idea what to say.

Alucard jerked up, an embarrassed flush on his pale face as he met the Belmont's baffled expression. Sypha on the other hand squealed and held up doll Trevor.

"Belmont! Come play with us. Look how cute you are. You have little beard hairs."

Without knowing why, Trevor approached the two and took the doll from Sypha. The doll's blue button eyes staring into his soul. Terrifying but okay. He watched as the Speaker took her look alike doll and pointed out the features as Alucard looked more embarrassed as the seconds passed.

"Where did you get these, Speaker?"

"Alucard made them! Don't they look just like us?"

The Belmont took note of the flush in the blond man's cheeks and shifting of his golden irises. It was disgustingly cute. Trevor smirked as he pulled at the straw on his doll's shoulders.

"Is this the fur from my clock? I never would've guessed you as the seamstress, Prince of Darkness. I'm not going to have a curse put on me, right?"

Alucard avoided the Belmont's teasing gaze. 

Sypha ran her thumb over the stitching of her doll's face. "I've never had someone make something like this of me. I know it's a bit silly but I love it."

Alucard flushed darker and hid his face in his hair. "Alright you two." 

Trevor protested at the loss of doll Trevor but the Speaker whined like an angry child.

The dhampir stood and, with what Trevor could only describe as a pout, took both dolls back and moved to place them on an empty shelf. "That's enough making fun of me."

Sypha whined. "I wasn't, I thought they were very cute, Alucard. It shows how much you missed us and makes my heart hurt, but in a good way."

It was like the Speaker had thrown a pot of oil on the fire that was the dhampir's embarrassment. His blush reaching up his ears and down his chest. 

Alucard being genuinely flustered was a sight Trevor wasn't familiar with and his gut tightened at the furrowed brow glare directed at him. Fuck. 

His brain, like the asshole it was, supplied a very different scenario with the same expression on Alucard's face and he nearly choked on his own spit.

"Anyway, Belmont where were you?" Sypha saving both men from their thoughts.

"Oh, yeah…" Trevor rubbed the side of his neck, his palm pulling at his stubble. There was a tone of nonchalant in his tone. "I got shit face in the Hold. Ended up passing out."

The Speaker seemed to read through the lines and did a once over of the monster hunter. Her eyes narrowing at his split fist that he smoothly moved into his pocket. Her icy eyes unsatisfied by the brief explanation but she stayed quiet for now.

"We have other liquors in the cellars. You didn't need to leave in the middle of the night, regardless of your alcoholism." Alucard commented with a bit less spite than usual, the flush still in his pale face making it difficult to take him seriously.

"Aw, dog breath, were you upset you didn't wake up to my handsome face?"

"Handsome is the antonym of the word I'd use to describe your face."

"I don't know what that word means so I'm taking that as a compliment." 

\---

The three of them cleared the bedding scattered about and put the study back together. Trevor caught himself staring at the dhampir while they worked. He could still feel the man in his lap and the dizzying scene of the night before replaying through his head.

Alucard slid his glass on the side table as he crawled into Trevor's lap, the man's taut muscled thighs straddling his. The Belmont actively tried not to think about the press of Alucard's pelvis against him. The heat that rose in his gut and chest as he mindlessly ran his hands up the man's legs. His fingers encasing Alucard's waist, thumbs almost touching as he listened to the hitch in the blond man's voice. Alucard's tortured expression breaking Trevor's heart through the rush of lust.

"Belmont, are you deaf?" 

Trevor jerked up from blankly staring at the wall, meeting Alucard's irritated gaze. 

"Whaddya say, hellspawn?"

The dhampir took a slow breath, calming himself before he spoke. "I said, for the third time, I wanted to discuss the Speaker's offer."

Oh, boner killer okay.

Trevor's expression must've given his distaste away because the blond man's face faltered and his eyes fell to the floor.

"Nevermind, it's not necessary-"

Shit. Fuck. 

Trevor quickly tried to right the situation and held his hands up to stop Alucard from leaving the study. "You just caught me off guard, hold on."

The dhampir is unconvinced but stopped, golden eyes staring with a nervous flicker. 

The Belmont ran through his thoughts clumsily. Vampire so bad, but Alucard so sorta okay? Alucard was offered by Sypha and had never tried to persuade either of them to give up their blood. He had noticed a vulnerability in the dhampir since they returned, his nerves on edge. Perhaps filling his belly would help with that. Uh, maybe he shouldn't phrase it like that.

"Okay, look, I'm not the most excited about the idea but I know you wouldn't purposely try to hurt Sypha."

There's a slightly offended look on Alucard's face at the inclination of the opposite. 

"I have a few requirements if I'm gonna be comfortable with this happening. One, I have to be present."

A nod from the blond man. "I would prefer you were, and armed."

Trevor narrowed his eyes. "Alucard-"

"Please, it would make me feel at ease knowing you could stop me." His voice hard and left no room for argument. Fine.

"Mary's tits, okay. Well, my next request was that we set a limit. I doubt Sypha has dealt with heavy blood loss but I still don't know if I trust her to call it if she's gonna pass out." 

"With my mother I usually only fed for ten or fifteen minutes at a time. But I was much younger then. So, I would prefer not to go past the ten minute mark. And I would not drink from her for at least two months."

"Does it take that long to...make more?" He asked a bit conflicted by the conversation as a whole. His ancestors were probably planning the worst way to kill him.

"Depends on the person's constitution but two months is a safe baseline."

Trevor exhaled slowly and scratched at his scalp. No turning back now, already damned anyway.

"Alright, last thing." Trevor met Alucard's now less nervous gaze. The man crossed his arms over his chest but the Belmont could see the way his hands held himself in a self comforting way. He was just as uncomfortable by this and that somehow made Trevor feel better. "How bad is your bloodlust during feeding?"

Alucard broke their stare and looked ashamed. The Belmont blinked as the dhampir murmured under his breath. He raised a brow. Alucard repeated his mutter.

"What?" 

"For all that is- its embarrassing, Belmont. I tend to get...overwhelmed."

"I dont…" Trevor stared dumbly as Alucard hid his face behind his hand, avoiding eye contact.

"Do you like cry or whatever?" 

Alucard glared and sighed in defeat. Embarrassment replaced with frustration. "No, Belmont. Not that sort of overwhelmed. I tend to find myself in...a vulnerable position afterwards."

"...okay?" Trevor continued his confused expression.

The dhampir tried to explain as simply as he could. "Have you ever seen a cat after its had catnip? It's similar. Since I'm only half, I take a while to convert the life energy from the blood. My body is-"

"Yeah, no, I'm lost. What do you need from me during that?" Trevor would leave the extended explanations to Sypha.

He noticed the way Alucard searched his face carefully before asking softly. "Just make sure I don't make a fool of myself, I suppose."

"Well I already fucked that up I guess, sorry, dog breath." Trevor's chest warmed at the sight of the playful smile pulled at Alucard's lips. His stupid lips.

\-----

Sypha studied from a pile of books she found in one of the castle's libraries. Worrying her bottom lip as she read, chewing gently when she got to a particularly difficult section. 

The sound of a light knock had her direct her face towards the noise but didn't break her reading.

"Yes, Belmont?"

Trevor's heavy footsteps approached her and nudged her knee with his own. She repositioned her legs, pulling her knees up to her chest as she turned the page. The Belmont sat next to her on the couch and pulled her legs into his lap. She smiled as she continued reading while Trevor began to rub the muscles of her calves.

It was a comfortable silence while she finished the third tome in the series. She gave quiet grunts when he pressed too hard, to which he corrected. A tender spot at the base of her calf had her sigh and look up from her book. The Belmont wasn't looking at her as she had expected. He was staring off unfocused, deep in thought as he worked her legs. Simply content with just touching her.

"So Trevor, I have a question…" She pulled her book up to hide the bottom half of her face.

The Belmont blinked back into focus and raised a brow at the Speaker. "...m'kay?"

She already suspected how they all felt about each other. Being apart from Alucard only solidified her feelings for the dhampir. And she had grown quite good at reading her emotionally constipated partner. 

"I know you and I...our relationship has changed."

The color dusting Trevor's face was a good sign.

"I was wondering if I could offer an idea. Feel free to say no."

Trevor just watched her with an increasingly worried expression.

"Speaker, I already told you that you're not sticking anything up my-"

"Not that!" She laughed and hid her face in her book. Sypha took a moment to giggle to herself at the memory of that very colorful conversation.

"I meant something that we haven't talked about before...well not specifically talked about."

Trevor nodded, hesitantly waiting.

"It's about Alucard."

There was a moment where it seemed as if Trevor stopped breathing. The man looked very conflicted and slowly growing red in the face. Sypha couldn't tell exactly if it was embarrassment or frustration.

"You wanna sleep with him?" Trevor asked, his tone a touch too quiet. 

She paused and let her book fall into her lap. She worried if he was self conscious.

"I actually wanted us to all be together. Myself, Alucard and you."

Trevor's brow furrowed. "Speaker, I don't think that's a good idea right now." 

"And why not?" She frowned as well. 

Trevor stopped touching her legs and scratched at his head. Displeasure rising in his voice.

"One, vampire, bad. Two, He just went through a situation that fucked him up. Fooling around is not a good idea."

Sypha gripped at the sides of her tome. "I'm not talking about just fooling around, Trevor."

The Belmont's furrow didn't relax as his eyes darted around her face. Like he was waiting for her to take it back.

"I'm not blind. I've seen the way you oggle each other. You two are not subtle at all."

Trevor's face broke into a sputter, cheeks and neck growing red. "W-What? Alucard doesn't-"

"Yes, he does, Trevor." 

The Belmont grumbled and rubbed at his neck. "Okay, say I'm listening-"

He cut off her next words with a finger in front of her mouth. "-I'm not agreeing to anything yet. But I still don't think it's a good idea right now. Prince of Darkness got fucked up by those two. I don't want him to feel pressured to accommodate your ridiculous libido."

There is a smirk at the end that brings butterflies to Sypha's stomach. Trevor moved to hover over her with an arm supported by the back of the couch. She quickly situated herself to run her thigh against the outside of his, allowing him to move between her legs. Sypha held the tome against her chest, hiding her smile.

"So...you're not saying no" she teased.

Trevor sighed and playfully rolled his eyes. "But I haven't said yes either."

Sypha squeaked as Trevor pulled the book away and placed it onto the table. She moved her fingers to tangle in his hair as he pressed against her neck. His scratchy stubble tickling her skin as his lips sucked at the tender soft spots under her jaw.

"Who do you think has bigger tits?" She asked between pleased hums.

Trevor's voice vibrated through her throat. "You mean you or Alucard?"

She nodded as she pulled at his hair, legs hooking around his waist.

"Alucard"

She scoffed offended and set a gust of chilled wind pushing Trevor off the couch.

\-------

There was an hour of uncomfortable discussion and deliberation between the three of them. Sypha beyond annoyed at Trevor's anxiousness riling Alucard up.

"It's my blood, I think I can make this decision without another's approval, Belmont." 

Trevor met the Speaker's warning glare. "I'm not saying you do. I'm saying this makes me the most comfortable. This is also for you and Alucard's safety as well."

The Speaker couldn't find any good reason to disagree so she left it defuse.

Alucard placed his hand over hers and squeezed in a show of support. "It also makes me feel better knowing I couldn't accidentally hurt you."

Sypha shook her head, a halo of copper hair flying. "You wouldn't, Alucard. I know you. Besides, I can stop you myself if I need to."

"Speaker, have you ever had a vampire feed on you?"

"Well, no-" She glanced between the two men.

"Then you don't know how you'll react. And I full heartedly believe you can protect yourself. But until we know how the two of us behave I would like to follow Belmont's rules." 

Sypha quieted and frowned.

"Fine but I have a rule as well."

Trevor and Alucard shared a glance before waiting for the Speaker.

Sypha lifted Alucard's hand and squeezed. "You're only allowed to call me by my name while you're drinking from me."

Trevor gave a conflicted stare, his jaw tensed. The dhampir's golden eyes blinked confused.

"I'll do my best, Spe-...Sypha."

\----

They decided on the bedroom Trevor and Sypha had been using. Removing the excess bedding to minimize any stains.

The dhampir situation himself in the center of the bed and Sypha kneeled over his lap. Dressed down to her undershirt, collar bones and sternum visible. Her arms bare and the skin of her stomach peeking from the bottom. Alucard forced a swallow.

Trevor's presence at his back, towards the edge of the bed was ever present in the corner of his mind.

Alucard rubbed his arm in a self soothing motion as Sypha gave a reassuring smile. Her eyes lowered to look down at him, her fingers ran through his hair and made shivers shoot down his spine. She smelled like cinnamon spiced apples, the warm sugar taste was heavy on the back of his tongue. His hands were uneasy as they cupped the side of her neck.

Sypha closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Settling in his lap, the pressure of her thighs atop of his, feeling the tiny movements of her muscles was dizzying. The dhampir could hear the dual pumping of her heart with each beat. The rushing of blood through the arteries like a sick symphony flooding his ears. His nose pressed into the soft skin of her neck and she squeaked out in surprise.

"Sorry-" Alucard jerked back and searched her face for any discomfort. Sypha moved her hand to hide her giggle. 

"Alucard, you just tickled me, I'm fine." 

Alucard swallowed around the lump in his throat. There was an unbearable tension in his body. Like he was wound tight enough to snap. The heat of her legs in his lap, her waist and chest just barely touching him. Not to mention the heat of Trevor at his back. 

The Belmont was wearing a somewhat serious expression as he met Alucard's stare. Between his broad frame and Sypha in his lap the room felt very small and cramped.

"Alucard, we're here to help. You're not going to hurt anyone." Trevor's softened voice from behind him sent another shiver over his skin. 

"You're right. I've never...been in this situation before, like this. Forgive my anxiety." 

Sypha grinned wickedly and wiggled in his lap. "What do you mean 'like this?'"

Trevor came to his recuse with an admonishment. "Sypha, he's nervous enough without your teasing."

Alucard went stiff as he felt the large warm hand on his back, rubbing up his spine. Trevor's breath now closer to his ear. "Sorry, is that bad? I'm trying to be helpful."

It felt like wildfire and lightning had a child of destruction that moved wherever the man touched. The dhampir held back the sensory overload tremble that threatened to wrack his body. He felt Sypha's hands in his hair again. "No, Belmont. It's nice."

"Good." 

Alucard bit his lip as he leaned back into the Speaker's neck. His head already fuzzy and overwhelmed. He sighed against Sypha's neck and felt her shiver. Her fingers digging into his scalp and scratching lightly.

Parting his lips and allowing his fangs to extend felt like taking a breath of fresh air after being trapped beneath water. His inch long canines touched the skin above Sypha's clavicle. He wasn't foolish enough to drink from her jugular while being this unsteady. No matter how badly his jaw burned to do so.

He placed his hands on her waist and raised them to the sides of her rib cage, supporting her as he decided on his angle. Trevor's thumb rubbing circles on his back and Sypha's heart thundering in his ears.

It's like he bit into melted butter, the puncture is clear and direct. The rush of hot blood hitting his throat sent a wave of relief over his jaw and throat. He allowed himself to be a bit enthusiastic and a low pleased rumble moved through his chest as he drank.

He felt Sypha's legs flex against him and her breaths shake. 

"Does it hurt?" Trevor's worried but supportive voice filters through the heavy pulse thumping.

Sypha hums a 'no' and her fingers continue to play in Alucard's hair. "It's a...different sensation than I thought, but it doesn't hurt."

Alucard swallows small mouthfuls, a trail leaking from his lip and trailing down his chin. The muddy haze of bloodlust dulling his thoughts and making it difficult to make out the conversation going on above his head. 

The heat of her inside his stomach is boiling, her iron taste on his tongue made it tingle. His fingers gripped at her sides, his nails careful not to poke her as he held her still.

He drank carefully and as slowly as he could manage. He didn't want her body to go into shock from losing too much too quickly. He fed for about five minutes, Trevor's hand on his back, Sypha's nails against his scalp.

He slowed and pulled back, strings of thick blood connecting him to her for a moment before he ran his tongue over the wounds to help close the bite marks. Sypha gasped and shifted in his lap again. His nose picking out a slight change in her scent. 

"Sypha" His voice is thick and heavy in his throat.

He saw a dusting of color in her cheeks as she smiled. Her lips wet and moved around words that barely registered in the dhampir's mind. "Alucard, was that enough? I'm still-"

She tasted like tart berries. Mixed with her cinnamon scent, it was like tasting a fresh dessert. His lips moved against hers and swallowed her surprised gasp. Her fingers pulled his hair tight and lit his scalp up with pain. After a moment her tongue pushed forward to taste her blood in his mouth. The blood on his chin smeared between their faces.

It's not until a hand wrapped around his neck and cupped his chin. The grip is gentle but firm as it pulled his head back. Their kiss broken and Alucard took a few deep breaths.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now." Trevor's tentative warning.

There a few moments of their combined breathing as the dhampir stared at the Belmont from the side. Trevor between the other two and gave the Speaker a concerned look. 

Alucard couldn't think past the sensation of the hand on his neck and the pressure on his lap.

"-card, Alucard?" The muddy sounds made it through the fog.

"...y-yes, Belmont?" His throat feels numb and hard to form words.

"We're gonna take a little break. Gonna lay you down, sound good?" 

Alucard didn't want to think about a response so he nodded. Before he could collect himself he was staring up at the ceiling with fingers petting through his hair.

The deafening thumping of their combined heartbeat slowly quieted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PUT THE COMMENTS IN THE BAG


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone who keeps commenting QWQ you're very sweet and I love all of you.

Sounds were muffled like he was beneath the water while his body was warm and relaxed. The bed beneath him spun and held him down. The length of his arm seemed to stretch out beyond his sight as he blinked slowly. Fingers moved slowly as he tried to clench his fist, a few twitches before slow jerky movements. Limbs heavy as he steadied himself. He could feel hands running through his hair, pulling lightly and sending small jolts over his scalp.

Electricity sending shivers over his skin. Every thought was slow and difficult to follow. Alucard's fingers rubbed against the soft cotton of the sheets, the fabric bunched in his closed fist, nails puncturing small holes accidentally.

The smell of a campfire, burning cinnamon and spiced smoke drowning his lungs in comfort. It was difficult to focus as his jaw ached, still hungry and desperate. Alucard opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling from between the two people who watched over him. Sypha and Trevor were on opposite sides of him, watching him closely as he forced his vision to focus on them.

"Speaker, Belmont?" His chest heaved with the strain of the simplest words. Head hazy and spinning as he felt a pair of hands help him sit up. His head falling forward, arms barely catching himself on the pair of arms holding him up.

"-card, are you okay?" The redhead's tone betrayed any attempt to hide her worry.

He tried to nod, to reassure her but it was difficult when the rhythmic sound of their heartbeats pulled at his attention. The lingering taste of iron in his mouth was overbearing and thick like melted sugar.

A hand pulled his face up by his chin. Alucard followed, lips parted as he took shaky breaths, eyes struggling to stay open and focused. His hair tickled his face as the Belmont looked over him and spoke. He couldn't understand what the other man was saying, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Trevor's jaw clenched, his neck tendons tensing, stubble decorated the edges of his chin. His eyes like a clear midday sky, the promise of more just out of reach. Alucard found his fingers clumsily tracing the muscle and tendons of Trevor's neck, the dips and lines of his skin like a textured painting. Trevor was warm and smelled like a safe hearth. 

He couldn't remember the last time feeding had disoriented him this badly. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth, stomach aching for more but also fueled with a context heat that spread throughout his body.

"Sorry, I can't think very clearly." He leaned his forehead against the Belmont's shoulder, a firm callous hand rubbing the back of his neck. A comfortable sigh leaving his mouth as the hand rubbed and petted gently.

\-------

Sypha ran her finger over the two small pin prick marks on her collarbone. The skin was red and slightly raised. Such small precise wounds that her body had stopped the bleeding almost immediately. 

Trevor's distressed look regained her attention. The man was staring at her like she'd fall apart any moment.

"You‘re sure that you feel okay?" His voice was tense. His hand hadn't moved from its place on Alucard's neck. The blond laid against him, breathing deep and slow. A tame kitten held still by its scruff.

"I feel fine, a tad lightheaded but I expected that." Sypha smiled as she pressed close to the two of them, up against Trevor’s side to run a hand over Alucard’s head gently. Trevor hummed in response and went back to hovering over Alucard. The dhampir moved in and out of lucidity as Sypha played with his hair, massaging and undoing knots.

"How long do you think it will last?" Quietly, as if she didn't want to wake a sleeping child.

Trevor shrugged. "He's gone months without blood. Might take him a bit."

The blond man shifted trying to pull himself upright but ended up just pushing himself forward into the Belmont’s chest. Trevor did his best to shoot a hand out behind himself to catch them from all falling back. The other man's weight leaned against his chest and shoulder. 

Ignoring the amused giggles from the Speaker, he maneuvered down onto his elbow with a grunt only for the dhampir to follow. Trevor sighed unsure of what else to do and laid back against the bed. 

Alucard made himself comfortable, head on Trevor's chest over his heartbeat. Sighing content as his closed fist rested on the Belmont's chest. His golden hair fanned out over Trevor's arm. 

Sypha kneeled next to the pair and helped pull Alucard's hair back and out of the way so he didn't pull on it accidentally. Trevor caught her endearing gaze when she moved to brush the brunet bangs away from his face, fingers trailing over his cheek. Two of the most important people to her sitting so serene in the dim room. Perhaps it was the blood loss but she found herself with a tight throat, emotion rising in her chest.

One hand still firm in its grip on the dhampir's nape, Trevor kept the blond still and docile. He used his free hand to grab Sypha's and press a kiss to the back of her hand.

The Speaker gripped back, rubbing her thumb over his skin. Her smile was warm and tender. The Belmont gave her an amused smirk. Her misty eyes were affectionate in a way that made his heart ache, just a bit. "Maybe I should have him drain you more often. Going soft on me, Speaker?"

"Maybe." She leaned down against his arm, his skin warm and comforting. Golden strands of Alucard's hair flowing under her fingers as she played with them over the Belmont's chest. Twisting the end between her fingers and tickling Trevor's skin.

A few moments of quiet. She struggled against a sudden wave of relief that crept up on her. As if after weeks finally allowing her shoulders to relax. Content and comfortable as Trevor moved to pull her against his chest, arm around her waist as his thumb rubbed circles on her hip.

"Thank you, Trevor." She mumbled against him.

He huffed. "For what, Sypha?"

She rested her cheek on his shoulder to look up at him. A hand rubbing up his breast muscle, enjoying the sudden flinch from the Belmont.

"For worrying."

"You feel alright, not nauseous at all?" His tone amused.

"No, I'm fine. Truly." 

Sypha watched Alucard in his almost sleep state. His face slowly nuzzled into Trevor's chest. The three of them lay still, tranquil. The Speaker snuggled against Trevor's side, his hand warm as it rested on her hip. She began to struggle to keep her eyes open, drifting asleep. Alucard had fully settled on Trevor's opposite side, his complexion had already begun to warm. His eye bags faded and lips a soft pink, pale skin no longer so sickly blue tinted.

She tilted her head to motion to Trevor about the dhampir but found him asleep as well. To her genuine surprise. The Speaker couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him asleep first, outside of a drunken coma. His face still, eye lashes resting against his skin, not the slightest twitch. 

It was rare to see the two of them asleep. She struggled to hold on to consciousness, if only to look at them a bit longer. Sypha had never felt a bond so tightly wound before, like the universe was tying them to each other, intertwining their destinies on purpose. She loved them both. Some of the reasons were different between the two men. Alucard was intellectual and empathetic, while Trevor was protective and kind under all his posturing. 

They both had flaws but the Speaker wasn’t arrogant enough to claim she was perfect. She knew she pushed too much sometimes, too quickly into uncharted territory. She wanted to understand everything about them but people had defenses for a reason. The redhead knew at the end of all of this she wanted to stay close to them however they allowed her.

\----

"Fuckin' Hell-!"

Sypha's eyes shot open to the yelling and someone hitting the floor. Her dizzy line of sight made out Trevor from the floor, his voice like a knife in her ears. She rubbed her eyes and groaned at the slight light headed spinning she felt. There was a mass of white bedding beside her, warm and soft. She squinted her tired eyes and made out a black nose at the front of the pile. 

"Mary's fucking tits, Alucard. Warn us first if you're gonna go all hellhound." Trevor's gruff morning voice was thready with the adrenaline in his system. 

Sypha held back her rising squeal as she looked over the large white direwolf asleep in the bed. Easily five feet in length, not including his tail curled against himself, the wolf was a bright white like fresh snow. His black nose was a stark contrast. His black and gold eyes sent the Belmont a tired look.

His ears were folded back against his head at the loud noise. Sypha couldn't resist the urge any longer and ran her fingers through the fur on Alucard's side. The fur soft and thick, flowing under her touch. The wolf gave a low huff, humor in his tone somehow. She continued to pet him, her fingers rubbed down from the ridge on his skull down the length of his neck.

Trevor flopped back onto the bed, making it bounce awkwardly. 

"Christ, I must've slept for 10 hours. My arms are numb." He complained as he clenched one of his fists and winced. Alucard's wolf head lifted from the bed and looked towards the Belmont. Trevor gave him a cocked brow and frown.

"What?"

The wolf huffed.

"Look, asshole-"

Sypha snapped sensing the start of a fight. "Enough, I've just woken up. If you're going to go at it this early, get out."

The boys seemed to settle. The Speaker laid back against the bedding in the dimly lit room. A warm soft muzzle pressed against her arm and she looked down to see golden slitted eyes looking up at her. A low sympathetic whine climbing and leaving Alucard's throat. Sypha gasped at the adorable sound.

"I swear this is sabotage." Sypha could tell by his tone Trevor was rolling his eyes.

Eventually the trio did get up, Sypha hungry and eating double what she normally would for breakfast. When Alucard returned from getting ready he was back in his usual form, to Sypha slight disappointment. She only got to see the wolf rarely and not for very long.

If she thought the dhampir had looked better last night, today was a different person. His skin a glowing porcelain, hair silky, his overall demeanor no longer hindered by an underlying exhaustion.

"You look very well rested, Alucard." She commented between her bites of dried rabbit. 

The blond smiled warmly, a flutter in her heart at the beauty of his expression. A backhanded wave of sadness came over her at just how much he'd been trying to brave face for them. 

"Thank you, Speaker. I owe you and Belmont for that." Even his tone sounded more like himself than he had yesterday.

Sypha glanced at Trevor and saw the conflicted look barely peeking through his aloof expression. The Belmont took a rather large bite of bread and grumbled. "It's not like I gave you any soul juice, dog breath. Just thank the Speaker."

Alucard's smile faltered just a touch. Sypha could sense some strange tension between the two men since they woke up.

"Should we set up a schedule for you? I really don't think I need two full months to recover, Alucard." She mused before taking a few gulps of water.

The dhampir looked taken aback. "Oh, I hadn't had the expectation of a repeat, Speaker. Please don't feel like you need to...offer consistently. I've lived on a human diet since I was a teenager."

Alucard made the safe decision to sit across from Sypha, who had Trevor at her right. The redhead didn't want this to become an argument they continued each time. "But you do still crave blood? I have no problem letting you have some. Lord knows I already bleed enough to feed two vampires every month anyway."

The Belmont choked on his rabbit jerky next to her. "S-Sypha, please I'm eating."

Alucard came to Trevor's rescue as Sypha geared up to give the man a lengthy anatomy lesson on the natural processes of the female body.

"That actually factors into the time restriction. You'll take longer on average to restore your missing blood than a man would. Not just because of that, but you simply have lower numbers of the minerals needed naturally."

Sypha wanted to argue but was not familiar with the alchemy he spoke of. "I'll want a more in depth explanation on that later."

The dhampir agreed with a nod.

The redhead finished the food on her plate before commenting. "So it'll be Trevor's turn next?"

"No bloody kisses for me, please" Trevor teased with a raised brow.

She flushed at the memory. Alucard's intense stare and adorable expression. The way he'd moved against her and the taste of iron during their kiss was not something she'd been ready for. But that didn't mean it wasn't provocative. If Trevor hadn't been there to intervene, she wasn't proud to admit she wasn't sure how far she would've let the dhampir go.

She stole a glance at the blond man to see him turning paler than usual, almost a tint of blue in his face.

Alucard sat frozen, more than usual and seemed to have replayed the same moment in his head. Sypha could feel a creep of anxiety in her stomach.

\----

Alucard felt better than he had in months, physically and mentally. He felt content and the underlying ache of bloodlust satiated for now. He felt refreshed and mentally clear for the first time in weeks. A small part of him was guilty that it took him feeding to feel like this again. 

When he'd gotten dressed that morning he looked over his body in the mirror. The criss cross scars across his arms and chest had faded but didn't disappear completely. He ran his fingers over the raised scar tissue with a conflicted worry. He wanted the wounds to disappear so he wasn't constantly reminded but he also wanted the reminder at the same time. If they faded would he forget them eventually? Would that be best? It felt cruel, even after everything, to just forget Taka and Sumi. 

He couldn't even decide what his father might have advised in this situation. It felt messy and blurred, like he couldn't shape his feelings clearly. 

Being with Trevor and Sypha helped, exponentially. They helped ground him and he felt seen with them around. He had never felt like this towards anyone before, it was suffocating.

And he'd royally fucked it up.

"I'm terribly sorry. I'd-I didn't intend to-" The dhampir was tripping over his words. Sypha wore a blush in her cheeks after Trevor's comment. 

Alucard remembered the night in bits but that part he remembered clearly. The way the Speaker felt and tasted. And he'd done that right in front of the Belmont. After he'd given the man his word that he hadn't been trying to pursue the Speaker. How could he have let himself behave so basely? 

"Whoa, it's okay, dog breath." Trevor held up his hands as if to physically calm Alucard's rising panic. "You weren't in your right mind, Alucard. You could barely form sentences, I didn't expect you to be on your best behavior."

Sypha chimed it, an adorable flush on her face. "You didn't do anything wrong, Alucard. I kissed you back."

Alucard felt his body switching between a clammy to heated embarrassment. An anxiety fuelled nausea rose in his gut. Sypha and Trevor were both staring back at him with steady gazes. Sypha’s upturned brow trying to appease his panic, a soft smile on her lips. Trevor’s jaw tensed and he searched the dhampir’s face. There it was. Just the slightest shift in the muscles of his face. The Belmont hid a different expression at bay for the illusion of calm collection.

You lied to him.

You should’ve known better, it was a horrible idea to begin with. Why can’t you learn? This is the same thing all over again. If you weren’t so driven by your own vices you wouldn’t find yourself in these situations.

“Shut up!” He stood from his chair, slamming both hands down on the table, his chest shaking with each inhale.

The room seemed to drop in temperature as he looked across at the other two. The Speaker was surprised by his outburst, wide icy blue eyes watching him with a moment of speechlessness. The Belmont on the other hand had risen when he had, hand already on his belt. His stance was wide and low, eyes hard when they met Alucard’s. The dhampir’s gaze flickered between his face and the man’s grip on Mourning Star.

No one moved in the tense air as Alucard tried to calm his breathing. Sypha slowly relaxed and watched between the two men, seeming to try and find the right way to diffuse the thick atmosphere.

Trevor broke the silence first. “This is why I said all of this was a bad idea.”

The brunet stood straight, let his hand fall and a frustrated breath left his lungs. Alucard lifted his hands from the table, seeing the dents he’d left in the hardwood. The nausea rising up into his throat. 

“I can handle an unstable, half-starved vampire.” Trevor continued, a tightness to his tone. “An unstable, fed one is a different story.”

“Belmont-”

“Speaker, please” Alucard looked to Sypha who had begun to stand from her chair. “He’s correct.”

“Not going to let you forget that, hellspawn.” A smug tone to Trevor’s voice.

The Speaker did not look so convinced. She came to stand next to him, hovering just outside of touching him. Alucard looked down at her when she spoke. “I didn’t mean to make you upset, Alucard. I liked kissing you. No one is mad at you for that. But if it makes you uncomfortable, we won’t bring it up again.”

Golden eyes mixing into icy blue, his chest ached at the glossy texture to her eyes. Even as her tone was steady and as demanding as always, there was a hint of hesitation in her gaze. 

The dhampir wasn’t sure how to respond. He had kissed her on impulse but had not expected her to reciprocate. The fact that she said she enjoyed it had him swallow thickly. A nasty self scolding mixed with the nausea. He moved over her head to look at Trevor.

A beat of silence before Sypha followed his gaze and barked at the Belmont. “Well? What about you? Don’t you have something to say, Belmont?”

Trevor frowned as they both watched and waited. His face slowly grew pink in embarrassment. He groaned and rubbed at the side of his face and neck. “What she said…”

“Trevor.”

He groaned dramatically and hid his mouth behind his palm as he mumbled into it.

“No one can understand you, idiot.”

Trevor flushed deeper and practically glared at Sypha and Alucard. The dhampir could hear his heart rate racing higher. 

“I said, I’m not mad that you two kissed.” He then turned his embarrassment fueled anger to Sypha. “Although, I am mad that you thought in any universe it would be a good idea to make out with a half-lucid vampire while they’re feeding on you!

Sypha flushed now, stuttering out. “I- I didn’t wasn’t planning to, it just happened.”

Alucard watched them bicker back and forth. The smirk on Trevor’s lips, Sypha’s flushed face, their arguing gave him a grounding sense of normalcy. His chest tightening in a confusing emotion. Affection with just the smallest dash of hope held down by revulsion. He couldn’t allow himself to twist this into something that it wasn’t. He would not dissuade himself again.

“If you are both truly not upset then I would like to drop the subject please. Write it off as an accident on my part.” The dhampir forced a small smile. The other two stopped. Trevor gave a grunt of agreement, going back to take his seat again. The Speaker did not. Her icy blue eyes stared at Alucard with her lips pressed in a hard line. The conversation was simply paused for now.

The redhead did not say anything more and they all finished breakfast. Alucard’s fingers worried the dented wood beneath his hands.

\-----

The three seemed to drift to their own activities throughout the day. Dinner was late in the evening and uneventful.

Sypha left the cleaning to the other two, supervising their light bickering over the drying of bowls. She allowed herself to truly indulge in the white wine selection Alucard had brought up from the cellar for her. Dracula and Lisa, according to Alucard, did not partake of white wine often but kept enough to entertain guests who found red wines too...on the nose.

She sipped at her third full glass, heat filling her face and neck as the slump of drunkness began to pull at her eyes. Her chin resting in her hand as she watched her boys work. Bloodloss did wonders for the speed of intoxication.

Where Alucard was elegant and sharp sleek lines of a marbled statue, Trevor contrasted with rough bold scars and scruffy stubble. Alucard's melted gold gaze against Trevor's sharp grey blues. Not to mention both of them had amazing asses. She giggled to herself as she lifted her glass to hide her leering smirk. 

"What are you grinning about, Speaker? More ways to torture me?" Trevor accused in light humor.

"Only in ways you'd want me to" she cooed over her drink. 

Both men paused and shared a wide look, Alucard motioning with his chin before Trevor flushed and quickly dried his hands. He pulled her drink and set it back on the table as he announced. "Alright that's enough, time for bed for the Lady Speaker."

"Yes, Alucard come along. Trevor says it's time for bed."

Trevor helped the stumbling woman to her feet as she began to pop the top button on his shirt, biting her bottom lip between her teeth as she giggled. 

"Sypha, we're in the kitchen!" The Belmont hissed embarrassed as he threw a quick glance to Alucard who was pretending to be very interested in the glass he was washing.

"Its dinner and a show, Belmont~"

"No- I mean, not- No, you're drunk, Sypha. Bed." 

She whined at the rejection as Trevor shuffled her out of the kitchen and down the hall towards the bedroom they were using. She pulled at his shirt, getting halfway unbuttoned before looking back at the empty hall.

"Wait, where's Alucard? Is he not coming?” She asked as Trevor wrangled her into the room and closed the door. She stumbled back and sat on the bed with a dizzy bounce. Trevor's face red and flustered. She held her arms up towards him and grinned.

"You're cute, Belmont."

"And you are a temptress trying to send me to an early grave. Bed. Good night, Sypha." He grumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Fine" she huffed as she reached for the edges of her robe and pulled her shirt over her head unceremoniously. Trevor now struggled to not look at her with a visible swallow.

"If you're not going to do anything, I'll help myself." A long delicate finger started at her collar bone, running the length of her bare sternum and down her stomach. The tickling sensation sent a shiver over her skin and she swore she heard the man inhale sharply. Sypha smirked as her hand traveled further to the bottom of her abdomen before Trevor cursed under his breath and stomped towards the bed.

She let out a giggling squeal as he hooked his hands under her knees and toppled her back against the mattress. The Speaker found both her hands pinned above her head and an excited purr rumbled in her throat through her giggles.

Before she found herself expertly wrapped in a blanket. Her arms were forced down by the Belmont who finished his hog tying of the Speaker and left her unable to wiggle out of the blanket prison.

"Trevor, this is very not-sexy" she pouted as she threw her head against the pillows, her copper hair flying in all directions.

"I dunno" he crossed his arms with a smirk. "You look very sexy right now. Sexy but drunk. So goodnight, Sypha." 

He pressed a playful kiss to her forehead and once more on her pouting lips before she huffed in defeat and snuggled into her cotton prison.

\----

Trevor left the room after putting out the lanterns and headed back to the kitchen where Alucard had finished the dishes.

The blond man was leaning on the edge of the kitchen table, sipping at a glass of his own wine. The long span of his legs arched like a statue, unnaturally beautiful. Not that Trevor could verbalize that.

"She's in bed. Hopefully to fall asleep." He grabbed the rest of Sypha's neglected wine and downed it with a few gulps as Alucard watched.

The dhampir hummed amused. "She's quite insistent. One wonders how she's not run you ragged."

Trevor leaned on the table, facing the other man. There was an underlying tension through Alucard's words he barely picked up on.

"If her advances are uncomfortable, I can talk to her, Alucard."

The blond man stilled after swallowing another sip of wine. His gaze grew sad as he stared down. "I do not want you two to feel the need to censor yourselves for my sake. I'm not a fussy old nun."

Trevor set Sypha's empty glass down. He watched Alucard stare blankly a bit too long for his liking.

"You can be uncomfortable, you're allowed to...be upset by those kinds of things, you know."

Alucard's gaze narrowed as he looked up to the other man. "Do you jump in fear at every creature of the night because you lost one battle?"

"I-No...but some do still make me jump. Some that bring up bad memories." Trevor pushed off the table to stand up. He tried not to think about the sleepless nights, fearing he'd wake up eaten, half dead or worse.

Alucard scoffed. "Belmont, you're not one to discuss healthy coping."

"Fair." Trevor laughed bitterly. There were many a night he drank himself numb. "That doesn't mean you can't learn from my mistakes."

"You talk as if you're any older than me." Alucard sipped the wine again.

The Belmont took a step forward, into Alucard's space. The dhampir held a stare, both men's body language tense. Trevor could see the anxiety climb in Alucard and how he funneled it into rage, just as Trevor often found himself doing.

"I may not be that much older but I've seen more ugly parts of the world than you."

"My father is Dracula."

"Touché. But the way you talk about him makes me think he must've sheltered you a lot." 

Alucard glanced away and went to take another sip but was stopped by Trevor's hand around his wrist. The dhampir's inhuman strength back in full force, it was like grabbing a piece of stone and expecting it to bend.

"Regardless of how, you've had your trust broken. I may not have had the same thing happen but I do know how much that hurts." Trevor lowered his voice as Alucard allowed him to take the glass from his hand and set it down. 

The Belmont did his best to hold his gaze steady. The day and nights struggling just to survive the cold, where the ugliest of humanity made itself known. Awful things done by those in positions of power, no matter how small their difference was from him. Children beaten in the streets for stealing week old bread so they wouldn't die of starvation in the night.

And Alucard was this fairy tale prince hidden away from it all, unpoisoned by it. He and Sypha still expected the best in people. The dhampir's heart was broken so cleanly instead of the slow rot in Trevor's.

Alucard could still be saved.

"Don't put up a front with me. You're allowed to be pissed off. You're allowed to not like things because of it." He spoke with purpose, held Alucard's wrist loosely, trying not to run his fingers over the raised scar tissue.

The dhampir's eyes darted over his face and he laughed. It was a chilling laugh, broken and tainted. Alucard brought his free hand to his face as his shoulders shook in twisted humor.

"That's the problem, Belmont. I'm not afraid of the intimacy." 

Now it was Trevor's turn to be cornered, Alucard's overpowering strength easily pinning one of the Belmont's arms to the counter. His body pressed close as Trevor was trapped between the counter and the dhampir's torso. Heart lunging in his chest as Alucard drew close to his face.

"I wish I wanted to forget, to shy away from the memory and pretend it never happened. But just before, there was a moment, where I truly felt…" The words struggling on the blond man's tongue. Alucard's eyes were molten gold, moving like a metallic river.

"I felt desired, I did not realize how much I'd miss touching another. The brush of a hand now sets my nerves alight. Even if they were just using me, I used them in return to sate my loneliness." The dhampir hissed in the familiar tone of self hatred.

Trevor held back a wince at the strength behind the grip on his arm. 

"Isn't that repulsive? I constantly crave to be in the situation of my assault."

Trevor's chest felt like it was crushed as a pained expression broke through Alucard's bitter smile, eyes glossing in unshed tears. He understood the need to go back. To try and rationalize or twist the memory so it didn’t sting so freshly. To relive the good parts.

“You’re still desired…” Trevor's voice was fragile now, his confidence shaking with each word. "Kiss me, Adrian."

The dhampir's tearful expression slowly morphed into one of horror. He yanked his hands away from Trevor like the touch burned him. "Belmont, you do not have to-...I would never ask you to-"

The Belmont held the panicked dhampir's shoulders between his hands, causing him to still. 

"Whoa, you're not asking me to do anything, dog breath. I'm offering. Quite...um…" he cleared his throat embarrassed. "Enthusiastically."

Trevor could see Alucard's mind going a mile a minute, emotions flashing across his face. Jesus fuck, he was never good at deescalation. Just keep talking, that'll probably help.

"Look this is probably a conversation we should have, like a real adult person responsible conversation but yeah…" Trevor's face and neck grew warm as he couldn't believe he was dropping this bomb in the middle of the kitchen. He was really relying on Sypha being right about Alucard's interest in him.

His hands fell to rest on Alucard's arms. Trevor could see how tense the dhampir was, the way he hovered just out of reach. Trevor glared through his red face.

"Look, you gonna kiss me or not, cause the longer I talk, the stupider I-"

A surge of a body against his, knocking him against the kitchen table and the air out of his lungs. A pair of lips pressed hungrily against his. Strong hands held his arms, Trevor taking a deep breath through his nose before kissing back, sucking and pulling at Alucard's bottom lip. He'd kissed men before, but never with a man he felt so drawn and attracted to. With Sypha it was tender, soft and slow. Alucard kissed him like he was going to devour him, firm grip and body crushing against him in order to get just that much closer.

Trevor's fingers moved to the back of the dhampir's scalp and gave the hair there a sharp pull, Alucard's mouth breaking apart with a hissy whine. Golden irises filling his eyes with just the sliver of a slitted pupil staring back at him.

Fuck, sorry ancestors.

"Don't you dare fucking bite me, Prince of Darkness." Trevor smirked at the jerk under his hand. Alucard wet his lips as he strained in the Belmont's grip.

"Think you could stop me if I tried, Belmont?" 

He swallowed at the heat that tone sent through him, distracted enough for Alucard to free himself and come down against his lips again. Hands grabbed him, handfuls of muscle and flesh. He gasped against the dhampir's mouth when the cheeky blond lifted him onto the table like he weighed nothing. 

His hands grabbed a fistfull of that damn golden curtain Alucard had for hair and pulled the man's head to the side so he could fit their lips together better. Sucking and feeling the heat of the dhampir's breath on his lips between pants. Trevor's free hand naturally going to grope at the other man's chest. His palm cupping the breast and squeezing the flesh under his fingers, the soft give and muscle bulge between his fingers was quite satisfying. He was bigger than Sypha, shit.

Alucard laughed breathless against his mouth. "I'm not sure the Speaker would be pleased by that admission, Belmont"

Trevor flushed realizing he'd said that out loud. Face warm as he looked over Alucard's face, the predatory eyes staring back at him sent rushes of heat up his spine. This was a bad idea. He should take his own advice.

"She'd agree with me." He whispered against the dhampir's mouth and gave a firm squeeze, drinking in the way Alucard groaned fire into his lungs.

He wants to feel loved.

The press of Alucard tongue into his mouth pulled more groans from his chest. Their bodies were close and amplified each other's heat. Like a summer storm just on the horizon line, thunder and roaring clouds with flashes of violence hidden inside. Trevor sucked against the other man, running his teeth along Alucard's lip when he tried to pull back to breathe. His heavy respirations are hot and moist against the Belmont's open mouth. 

You could've lost him. Don't fuck up again.

Alucard pulled him forward by the underside of his knees, their waists pressed against each other and Trevor could feel the restricted strength in the dhampir's fingers. An alluring thought in the back of his mind as he groaned into their kiss.

"Trevor"

His eyes blinked open to meet Alucard's lidded gaze. The Belmont's chest rising with his heavy breaths. His hands ran down the dhampir's torso to settle at his waist. The blond practically trembled under him at the gentlest touch.

He deserves something good. 

Not you.

"We should stop." The Belmont all but forced out, his hot face contradicting his words. "I wanna...do this right. Not some quick fuck in the kitchen."

The inhumane strength behind Alucard's hands squeezing his thighs made him dizzy.

"I wasn't planning on being 'quick' with you."

Fuckin Christ.

"Stop making me be the responsible one, hellspawn."

Alucard chuckled against his neck as he rested his forehead on Trevor's shoulder. A few heavy, slow kisses to the soft tissue under his jaw. A humor filled tone murmured into his skin as a roll of Alucard's hips sent a shock through his nerves. "But you don't want to stop either."

Don't do it. He's not ready. You know he's not.

Trevor slipped one hand to the back of Alucard's nape. The dhampir allowed the hand to maneuver him back up to face the other man, like an obedient but deadly serpent staring back at him. 

"I'm serious, Alucard."

Golden eyes narrowed into a glare. "You're the one who started this, Belmont."

"Yeah, well we know I'm a dumbass. You're not-..." Trevor bites off his sentence before he adds more fuel to the slowly rising fire.

Alucard leans back, head tilted ever so slightly in dramatic irritation. "I'm not what?"

"We should have this conversation sober and in the morning." Trevor moved to push himself down and away from the dhampir. Cool, marble like arms cage him down against the table top. He does his best to swallow quietly.

Golden eyes burning like boiling fire. A tension in his features like a poised wolf. Damn, that shouldn't keep his pulse fast. Pounding against his rib cage like a drum.

A length of silence filled the room and grew awkward just before Alucard hissed. "I'm not what, Belmont?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahahaaaaa don't hit me

**Author's Note:**

> Ideas or requests welcome, please review, I'd appreciate it!!


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